Kerala bypolls: Priyanka's electoral fortunes to be known on Saturday

Wayanad: Elaborate arrangements have been made for the counting of votes polled in the three bypolls in the state—Wayanad Lok Sabha and the Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly seats—scheduled for Saturday, with all eyes on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who has made her electoral debut from the southern state.

The counting will begin at 8 a.m. on November 23, with postal ballots being counted first, according to officials.

The Wayanad seat has attracted national attention due to the electoral debut of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is contesting against CPI veteran Sathyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas.

Vadra hopes to succeed her brother Rahul Gandhi, who vacated the seat following his decision to remain in the Rae Bareli constituency after winning the two seats in this year's elections. He had won from here in 2019 and his resignation necessitated the by-poll.

The Palakkad bypoll votes will be counted at Victoria College, Palakkad.

Among the 10 candidates contesting, the main contenders are Rahul Mamkootathil from the Congress-led UDF, C Krishnakumar from the BJP-led NDA, and P Sarin from the CPI(M)-led LDF.

This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Congress' Shafi Parambil, who vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara in the general election this year.

The officials concerned jointly inspected and ensured all the facilities and security arrangements at the Cheruthuruthy Government Higher Secondary School, the counting centre of the Chelakkara Assembly constituency, where the counting of votes will be held.

In the Chelakkara Assembly bypoll, former MLA U R Pradeep is the CPI(M) candidate, while ex-MP Ramya Haridas of Congress and BJP's K Balakrishnan are also in the fray.

The by-election was necessitated by the election of K Radhakrishnan to the Lok Sabha from Alathur.