Did Anurag Thakur's Vote Fraud Allegations in Wayanad Get Disproven?

Wayanad (Kerala), Aug 14 (NationPress) Just a day after Anurag Thakur, a senior BJP leader and former Union Minister, made claims of fraudulent voting in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, local residents have stepped forward to dispute these allegations. They confirmed that investigations conducted on-site have proven Thakur's claims to be unfounded.

Thakur alleged that in the Kalpetta Assembly segment, more than 4,000 voters from various religious backgrounds were registered under the same household name, “Chounderikunnu.”

However, on Thursday, residents of Varadoor, the focal point of the controversy, have labeled the allegations as completely baseless.

They clarified that “Chounderikunnu” is a historic house name utilized by multiple families of different religious communities — including Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes — who live in separate homes rather than a single residence.

Mary and Valliyamma, two of the locals, confirmed that they inhabit distinct properties within the Varadoor-Chounderi area.

The residents emphasized that this house name tradition dates back centuries, with no association to electoral fraud.

Wayanad District Panchayat President, Shamshad Marakkar, commented that Thakur's statements are misleading.

“This is my home area. People here — Hindus, Muslims, Christians, SCs, and STs — have utilized the name 'Chounderikunnu' for generations. That does not indicate they live under one roof. To label this as voter fraud is absurd,” stated Marakkar.

Kalpetta MLA T. Siddique also dismissed the allegations, highlighting that AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra recently won a bye-election — held after the resignation of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi — with an even greater margin than her brother's previous victory.

“The BJP leader's accusations hold no relevance in Wayanad. Priyanka elevated the Congress majority beyond four lakh votes. There is no foundation for the BJP's claims,” remarked Siddique.

Thakur's allegations of voter fraud, aimed at questioning the Congress’ dominance in the region, have been largely disproven through local verification efforts and statements from community members.

In another incident, it was claimed that a voter named Mymoona had been fraudulently registered to vote at three different polling booths in the Eranad Assembly segment — Booth Nos. 115, 135, and 152.

However, this was also disproven as it was revealed that the “three votes” did not belong to a single person, but to three distinct women sharing the same name. Each resides in different panchayats and holds only one vote in their respective areas.