Voters in Wayanad and Chelakkara participated in a peaceful by-election, but controversy erupted after leaked excerpts from CPI(M) leader EP Jayarajan's autobiography triggered political backlash, marking his second election-day scandal in 2024
Published Nov 13, 2024 | 8:52 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 24, 2024 | 8:22 PM
As voters turn out, CPI(M) deals with fallout from Jayarajan's 'autobiography' leak
As voters in Wayanad and Chelakkara cast their ballots in a largely peaceful by-election, a storm of controversy swirled just beyond the polling stations. This time, it wasn’t the usual EVM glitches or minor scuffles stealing the spotlight.
Instead, leaked excerpts from CPI(M) leader EP Jayarajan’s so-called autobiography set off political tremors, sparking heated reactions and sending his party into rapid damage control.
Remarkably, this is the second election day scandal involving Jayarajan — following his sensational admission of meeting BJP leader Prakash Javadekar during the 2024 General Election Day on 26 April.
The Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election was largely peaceful in its seven Assembly segments — Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery, Kalpetta, Thiruvambadi, Eranadu, Nilambur, and Wandoor.
Voting began at 7 am, and by 7.10 pm, the turnout stood at 64.69 percent.
This marks a decline compared to the robust participation in recent general elections, where the turnout reached 72.92 percent in 2024 and a striking 80.37 percent in 2019.
Although the final turnout may increase slightly as voting continues, the noticeable dip could reflect shifting voter dynamics in the constituency.
In a heartfelt move that captured the spirit of resilience in Wayanad, the district administration launched a special transport service, aptly named the “Vote Vandi” (vote vehicle) to facilitate the participation of landslide survivors in the Attamala, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala wards of Meppadi Grama Panchayat.
“Vote Vandi”
This initiative enabled these voters to reach their polling stations safely.
Many of these voters arrived with a palpable sense of purpose, receiving flowers as they entered, symbolising the community’s determination to overcome adversity and engage in the democratic process.
The high-profile by-election has drawn particular attention with UDF candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra making her electoral debut from Wayanad.
She visited various polling booths, interacting with voters and expressing her confidence in their support.
Speaking to reporters, Priyanka noted, “I hope the people of Wayanad will give me the opportunity to repay the love and affection they have shown.”
With a total of 14,71,742 registered voters, 1,354 polling stations were set up across the constituency, Wayanad has a significant voter base. Sixteen candidates were vying for the seat.
The bypoll in Wayanad was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat after winning Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Chelakkara, a CPI(M) bastion, witnessed one of its most intense election battles yet. Since 1996, this Assembly constituency has consistently rallied behind the Left Democratic Front (LDF).
However, sporadic clashes between party workers, tense stand-offs with police, and an energetic voter turnout signal that this election could be one to watch.
Voting commenced at 7 am, with polling stations across nine grama panchayats bustling with activity throughout the day.
By early evening, voter turnout had surged to an impressive 72.22 percent, indicating a high level of engagement among the 2,13,103 registered voters in the constituency.
A total of 180 polling booths were set up, and six candidates are in contention for the seat, adding to the competitive atmosphere.
Former MLA K Radhakrishnan, who previously represented Chelakkara in the Kerala Assembly before moving to the Lok Sabha following his 2024 election victory, voiced confidence over the LDF’s chances.
“The response from voters is promising,” he said. “Our month-long campaign, which focused on highlighting the developmental strides made by the LDF government, is expected to translate into votes for our candidate, UR Pradeep.”
For the Congress, however, found a prime opportunity this time to mount a challenge. The party was betting on anti-incumbency sentiments to sway voters in their favour.
Congress leaders argued that while the LDF has maintained a steady grip on Chelakkara, discontent over lingering local issues may open the door for change. This observation was being nursed by the BJP also.
Tensions remained high and eyes will be on 23 November to get a clearer picture of whether Chelakkara will remain in the LDF’s grasp or witness an upset.
Meanwhile, filmmaker Lal Jose expressed disapproval with the current by-election process, noting that it put a significant financial burden on taxpayers.
After casting his vote at Mayannur LP School in Kondazhi Panchayat, Chelakkara, Lal Jose spoke to the media, stating that by-elections should be held only in unavoidable cases, such as the death of an incumbent representative.
He argued that frequent elections waste public funds that could otherwise be used for essential development projects.
The bypolls took an unexpected twist as alleged excerpts from CPI(M) leader Jayarajan’s yet-to-be-published autobiography surfaced in the media on election day, stirring controversy and casting a shadow over the ruling LDF.
The supposed passages, which Jayarajan insisted were “fabricated and misleading,” criticised the current CPI(M) leadership and reportedly called for an introspection within the party, following his removal as LDF convener which he said ‘without due explanation.’
Jayarajan swiftly responded, filing a complaint with the Director-General of Police (DGP) on Wednesday, claiming that the reports were “fake and manipulated” and part of a “wider conspiracy” aimed at tarnishing his reputation and swaying the bypoll outcome.
The senior CPI(M) leader further clarified that his manuscript was still in the drafting phase and hasn’t been finalised for publication.
However, DC Books, a prominent name in the publishing industry in a social media post had advertised a book titled, “Kattan Chaayayum Parippuvadayum: The Life of a Communist,” as the autobiography of EP Jayarajan.
Roughly translated Kattan Chaaya and Parippuvada are black tea and dal vada, once considered the staple diet of communists.
Following controversies, DC Books announced on social media that the release would be delayed, attributing it to production issues. It however pledged to share more information closer to the final launch.
Meanwhile, Jayarajan said that though he had engaged in preliminary talks with DC Books and Mathrubhumi, no formal publishing agreement had been reached.
“I have not completed my manuscript, nor have I handed it over to any publisher. I saw the so-called ‘cover image’ online for the first time today,” Jayarajan remarked, denouncing the circulating material as entirely baseless.
Among the excerpts were pointed remarks regarding the second Pinarayi government, including grievances over candidate selections, such as Dr P Sarin in Palakkad, which the author said could harm LDF’s fortunes.
There were also claims that the text referred to the Jayarajan’s controversial meeting with Javadekar prior to the last Lok Sabha elections, an interaction that has now drawn renewed scrutiny.
At the same time, CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan backed Jayarajan. Speaking on Wednesday, Govindan clarified that while the party permission was not required for party members to publish books, prior consultation was advised.
He confirmed that Jayarajan’s autobiography has not been completed and dismissed reports about its purported contents as “incorrect” and likely “election-driven sensationalism.”
“I trust EP Jayarajan’s statements,” Govindan said, suggesting that if Jayarajan suspected a political conspiracy, he should investigate it.
It has to be seen whether the Jayarajan controversy may cause any damage to the LDF.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
