In the latest results of the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency for 2024, Anto Antony, the incumbent MP from the Congress party, has once again secured his position at the forefront, outpacing Anil Antony of the BJP and Dr. TM Thomas Isac of CPIM. This victory marks Antony’s fourth consecutive term, solidifying his position with a significant lead of 66,064 votes announced on Tuesday.
The electoral battleground of Pathanamthitta, a constituency with a 15-year history, witnessed a fierce triangular competition. Anto Antony, backed by the Congress, faced off against Anil Antony, the national spokesperson and secretary of the BJP, and Dr. TM Thomas Isac, a former finance minister and central committee member of CPIM. Despite his previous wins in 2019, Antony’s winning margin has seen a gradual decline in each successive election.
The vote count reveals Anto Antony’s dominance, with a total of 367,210 votes in his favor. His closest rivals, LDF candidate Thomas Isaac and BJP contender Anil Antony, secured 301,146 and 234,098 votes, respectively.
The strategic calculus of the political landscape in Pathanamthitta is noteworthy, as all three major parties strategically fielded candidates from the Christian community, representing nearly 40% of the constituency’s population. BJP’s efforts to expand its base, particularly among Nair, Eezhava, and Orthodox voters, have been evident since the previous elections, with a noticeable increase in vote share from 15.98% in 2014 to 28.97% in 2019. This year, BJP aims to capitalize on this momentum, eyeing a breakthrough if Anil Antony can surpass the previous vote count of 2.97 lakh.
The voter turnout, however, witnessed a decline from 2019, dipping to 63.37% compared to 74.19% in the previous election. This downward trend mirrors the diminishing victory margin of Anto Antony, which has reduced from 111,206 in 2009 to 44,243 in 2019.
In the 2024 contest, the Pathanamthitta constituency recorded a total of 1,429,700 registered voters, with a voting turnout of 63.37%, translating to 906,051 votes cast. The elections for this seat took place in the second phase on April 26, 2024.
Anto Antony’s electoral prowess was reaffirmed in the 2019 LS Polls, where he clinched his third consecutive victory with 380,927 votes, constituting 37.11% of the total votes. His margin of victory against Veena George of CPM stood at 44,243 votes. Similarly, in 2014, Antony secured 358,842 votes (41.27%), defeating independent candidate Adv. Peelipose Thomas by a margin of 56,191 votes.