The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) fears that Christian votes could shift towards the BJP in the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election in which Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her electoral debut.

Contrary to the claims made by the Congress leadership that Priyanka would romp home with a record 5-lakh victory margin, beating her brother Rahul Gandhi’s record margin of 4.34 lakh votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, their hopes have now been dashed.

All three contesting parties in Wayanad — the Congress, CPI and the BJP — have been disappointed with the lowest-ever voter turnout of 64.24 per cent this time.

They have reasons to get worried. Firstly, the voters in Wayanad had reservations about a bypoll. When Rahul contested for the second time in Wayanad during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the young voters in large numbers — the majority of them either studying or working outside the state or abroad — had come down to cast their votes in his favour. But this time, they did not bother to take the pain to travel back home to vote.

Secondly, the dispute over 404 acres of land in Kerala’s Ernakulam district between the state’s waqf board and long-established occupants of the land has turned out to be detrimental for the Congress. This has happened at a time when a parliamentary committee held consultations on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Kerala State Waqf Board claimed over 404 acres of land on the Munambam coast, which has a sizable population of 600 Christian and Hindu families. The Kerala wing of the BJP leadership had made the Munambam issue a poll debate. A top KPCC leader told The Telegraph on the condition of anonymity that they were suspecting the shift of Christian votes in favour of the BJP candidate, Navya Haridas, a two-time councillor in Kozhikode.

“Locals in Munambam belonging to the Christian and Hindu communities have been residing there for several generations. The BJP tried to cash in on the situation during the bypoll. Hence, we are anticipating only a 3-4 lakh victory margin for Priyanka,” said the KPCC leader.

However, A.P. Anil Kumar — a Congress legislator from Wandoor in Malappuram district which falls under the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency — rubbished the apprehension of the KPCC leader. Anil Kumar, who was the general convener of Priyanka’s election campaign committee, told The Telegraph that his expectation was thatshe would get a victory margin of 4.50 lakh.

“It’s true that the polling percentage had come down this time to 64.24 per centcompared to 72.92 per centin the 2024 general election. But we suspect CPM and BJP voters did not vote in large numbers this time. Our votes are intact. We don’t have any sort of apprehension on Priyanka’s victory margin,” said Anil Kumar.

KPCC general secretary (organisation) M. Liju said Priyanka was expected to come down to Wayanad on Saturday.

“She has a genuine connection with her voters which we could feel during her hectic campaigning. Her travel itinerary details are yet to be confirmed. But most probably, Priyanka will be in Wayanad on Saturday to thank her voters in person,” said Liju.