Non-resident Keralites, settled in various countries are eager to reach their hometowns to cast their voters in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. Even though many flights from the UAE and Gulf countries were either cancelled or re-scheduled due to several floods last week, expatriate voters will fly to Kerala in chartered flights. Most of the flight services from the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Countries) to Kerala since April 20, 2024 have been completely booked by voters.
This move is aimed at increasing the number of Muslim voters in the state of Kerala to over power the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections held this year. The Gulf Muslims are being provided free or half priced flights to empower this sinister move.
Meanwhile various expatriate organisations affiliated with political parties have partnered with travel agencies to book flight tickets for expatriate voters at an affordable rate. The tickets were sold for an average rate of Rs 8500. Even though these organisations managed to arrange chartered flights and avail discounts, the voters have to bear the expenses of the tickets.
Meanwhile the unexpected deluge that affected the normal life of people in these Gulf countries had completely toppled the flight services too. Expatriate voters arrive mostly in Northern Kerala. EP Ubaidullah, president of the Global KMCC (Kerela Muslim Cultural Centre), said that the organisation aims to fly home 10,000 expatriate voters from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
KMCC had managed to fly 190 voters from Jeddah to Kerala on April 7, 2024. Interestingly, there are 35,793 expatriate voters in Kozhikode district alone. As per unofficial data, the 14,827 among them are registered voters in the Vadakara constituency, the 17,424 are voters in Kozhikode and 3542 will be voting in the Wayanad Constituency.
Meanwhile, there are 10,000 expatriate voters in Pattambi and 8800 voters in the Mannarkad regions that come under the Palakkad Lok Sabha constituency. In Wayanad district, there are almost 15,000 expatriate voters are registered in Kannur Lok Sabha constituency. Expatriates continue to land in huge numbers to cast their vote in the Lok Sabha elections. A group of 122 voters arrived yesterday at Karipur on an Air Arabia flight.
The flight was arranged by the Dubai KMCC of the Kozhikode District. The group had departed from the Ras Al Khaimah as flight services hadn’t resumed in Dubai following the floods, Members of the INCAS too were part of this group. Most of the expatriates who arrived on this flight were voters in the Vadakara constituency. Ibrahim Murichandi, the acting president of the Dubai KMCC said the first vote flight from Dubai. He added that more flights would arrive in Kerala in the coming days.
