Palakkad bypoll in Kerala: Political duelling and controversies animate silent campaigning on the eve of byelection

Palakkad Assembly bypoll sees intense political drama with communal tensions, allegations of propaganda, and last-minute campaigning.

The day of the silent campaigning for the Assembly bypoll in Palakkad in Kerala seemed anything but muted on Tuesday (November 19, 2024). 

Even as the countdown clock to Wednesday’s polling day ticked, there appeared to be no let-up in political fireworks, controversies and public sniping. 

Voters in Palakkad woke up on Tuesday to newspaper advertisements spotlighting the allegedly “anti-Muslim” political statements and social media posts by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson-turned-Congress leader Sandeep Varier.

Notably, the mouthpieces of two influential Sunni Muslim organisations carried the Left Democratic Front (LDF)-sponsored advertisement on their respective front pages. 

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has moved the Palakkad District Collector, the Chief Electoral Officer, against the LDF’s “communally divisive” propaganda. It alleged that the advertisement had appeared without the electoral media monitoring committee’s sanction.

Mr. Varier, who is campaigning for Congress’ Rahul Mamkootathil in Palakkad, said the LDF’s “unlawful” advertisement proved that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the BJP were on the same page regarding creating communal divisions for electoral dividends.

Congress leader Shafi Parambil, MP, said the CPI(M) had attempted a similar last-minute political ploy to incite communal passions during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Vadakara. However, it backfired at the polling booth.