Kerala Assembly Election: With just a few days remaining in the Kerala Assembly election, all the parties have intensified their campaigns to lure in the voters. A neck-and-neck contest is likely between the CPIM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by Congress. However, the BJP would also try to improve its tally and increase its vote percentage in the southern state. The Congress has accused the ruling alliance of forming an "unofficial" and "undeclared" alliance with the BJP to split its votes.

Palakkad Constituency

- The seat has been dominated by Congress since the 2011 elections

- The BJP emerged as the second largest party for the first time in 2016 polls

- BJP has fielded Sobha Surendran; the Congress has given a ticket to Ramesh Pisharody

- Independent candidate NMR Razack is backed by LDF

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- Congress has alleged CPI(M)-BJP "deal" on the seat

- Congress alleged that the independent candidate was backed by the left to split the Muslim voters

- Hindus account for about 60 per cent of the total voters, while Muslims are around 35 per cent

- BJP has gained support in recent times, especially after winning the Palakkad municipality

- While the saffron party has fielded a candidate on the seat since the 1980s, it retained the second position in 2016 polls

- The party's vote share increased from 19.86 per cent in 2011 to 29.08 per cent in 2016

- Former Youth Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil has been facing sexual harassment allegations, damaging the party's reputation in the region

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- M Prasob, a Congress councilor, was sacked over allegations of raping a Dalit woman

- The BJP has been campaigning in the rural regions, assuring assistance to the farmers

"We have taken up farmers’ issues. I have promised voters that Palakkad will receive a Rs 700-crore package within 90 days if the BJP wins the seat," the BJP's candidate was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.