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Thiruvananthapuram: The winners in the state assembly election won with an average of 37.40% of the total registered voters, implying that the winners represent, on an average, 37.40% of the total electorate, an analysis found. Also, the 140 MLAs won by an average of 47.98 % of the total votes polled, which, in the 2016 elections, was 46.76 %.
The analysis done by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, also finds that 39 (28%) winners won with 50% and above of the total votes polled in their constituency while 101 (72%) winners won with less than 50% of the total votes polled. The vote share received by some of the winners also shows that the declared criminal antecedents against the winning candidates had hardly any impact on the public support received by them. As many as 32 (32%) out of 99 winners with declared criminal cases have won with a vote share of 50% and above. More interestingly, 34 out of 99 winners with declared criminal cases have won against a runner up with a clean background. As many as 39 (28%) winners won with 50% and above of the total votes polled in their constituency. The top three winners who have attained the highest vote share are T I Madhusudanan (62.49%, Payyanur), K K Shailaja (61.97%, Mattannur) and M M Mani (61.80%, Udumbanchola).
Indicating that women winners could garner more support from the public, all of the 11 women candidates who won, have won with 40% and above of vote share in their constituencies. Among the women winners, K K Shailaja (CPM) has won with the highest vote share (61.97%) in her constituency. Showing the sitting MLAs have been able to gain the trust of their voters, out of total 71 re-elected winners, none have won with less than 30% of vote share in their respective constituency. Even among these, 20 (28%) have won with more than 50% of vote share.
Out of 2, 08, 33,801 votes polled in the state assembly elections this year, 97,695 (0.47%) were polled for NOTA. The top 10 constituencies where NOTA received votes are Thalassery (2,313 votes, 1.74%), Kalamassery (1,518, 0.97%), Chittur (1,285, 0.84%), Manjeri (1,202, 0.87%), Sulthan Bathery (1,160, 0.69%), Vallikkunnu (1,150, 0.76%), Paravur (1,113, 0.70%), Piravom (1,109, 0.70%), Tripunithura (1,099, 0.70%), Alappuzha (1,089, 0.69%). Interestingly, Thalassery was one constituency where the BJP could not field any candidate and also could not declare support to any other candidate. Among the major political parties, out of 62 winners of CPM, 13 (21%) have won with less than 35% of votes of the total registered voters in the constituency.
Also, five (29%) out of 17 winners from CPI, eight (38%) out of 21 winners from the Congress, two (13%) out of 15 winners from IUML and five (100%) out of five winners from Kerala Congress (M) have won with less than 35% of votes of the total registered voters in the constituency.