Indian people living in the United Arab Emirates are spending a lot of money on flight tickets to go home to Kerala and vote in the upcoming elections. They are spending much as ₹2.3 lakh on tickets. Many Indian expats are doing this even though it is very expensive. They want to vote and be a part of the process in their home state.
A lot of people are booking flights from cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Kerala. Because of this airlines are charging money for tickets. In some cases people are paying ₹2 lakh or more for a trip ticket. This is especially true for flights around the time of the elections.
Travel agents say that flights to cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode are filling up fast. Many Indian expats who work in construction healthcare and services are willing to pay the costs to vote. They want to make sure they can participate in the elections.
Kerala has a lot of people living outside of India in the Gulf region. These people send a lot of money back to Kerala, which helps the economy. However they still have to go to Kerala to vote because they cannot vote from outside the country. This means they have to travel a way to vote.
Some people think that the votes of expats could make a big difference in the elections. In some areas even a small number of votes can change the result. This is why Indian expats are so important to the elections in Kerala.
The fact that Indian expats have to travel far to vote raises questions about how fair the elections are. Some people think that Indian expats should be able to vote from outside the country. However this is not possible now. Until it is Indian expats will have to keep traveling to vote.
Local political parties in Kerala know how important Indian expats are. They are trying to reach out to them through media and other ways. Some parties even have phone numbers and groups to help Indian expats with voting and travel.
The fact that Indian expats are willing to spend much money to vote shows how much they care about their home state. For them voting is not about the elections. It is about staying connected to their home and having a say in what happens
As the elections get closer airports in Kerala will be busy with expats returning to vote. This will be a time for travel between the Gulf and India. Indian expats will be going back, to Kerala to vote in the elections. They will be spending a lot of money on flights to get there.. For them it is worth it to be able to vote and have a say in the future of their home state, Kerala.
