Around 75 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the Kerala Assembly polls on Tuesday that witnessed a triangular contest with BJP emerging as a key player in the state that had been so far dominated by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) over the years.
The highlight of the day was Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan deviating from his earlier stand that Sabarimala row was not an issue in this election. He stated that Sabarimala Ayyyapa and the entire pantheon were with the LDF.
Even as most pre-poll surveys predicted LDF retaining power, Congress leaders expressed a high level of confidence during the polling with senior leader A K Antony commenting that favourable results in the state would help the Congress strengthen its fight against the BJP at the national level, too.
'Metro Man' E Sreedharan, who is contesting as BJP candidate at Palakkad, and BJP state president K Surendran, who is contesting from Manjeshwar in Kasargod and Konni in Pathanamthitta, also expressed confidence of forming government in Kerala, even as Pinarayi Vijayan was reiterating that the BJP will even lose its lone and maiden sitting seat Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram.
While the state witnessed heavy polling in the initial hours with over 25 per cent exercising their franchise by 11 am, the polling progressed only steadily later. Hot climate in the state was said to be a factor that triggered high voter turnout in the morning hours.
As per the latest reports from the Election Commission, the total polling in the state was 74.02. The final tally could be around 77 per cent, almost equal to the 77.35 per cent recorded in 2016 Assembly polls and 77.67 recorded in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Apart from the polling to the 140 assembly seats, a by-poll to Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency was also held on Tuesday.
Even as tension was anticipated over widespread bogus voting attempts alleged by Congress, only a few such instances were reported during the polling.
Tension prevailed in Kazhakkottam constituency in Thiruvananthapuram with CPM and BJP workers clashing. BJP candidate Shobha Surendran alleged that the CPM camps were quite concerned over BJP's surge. A slight tension prevailed at Thrikkakara in Kochi with a section of BJP local leaders opposing taking pictures of actor Mammootty casting vote.
At Kundara in Kollam, Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma, who is seeking a mandate, allegedly made a misleading statement that an independent candidate was arrested by the police. The allegation was raised against Shiju Varghese, director of the US-based firm that engaged into the controversial fishing trawler deal with the government. He was contesting as a mark of protest over the row. He even alleged that there was an explosives attack.
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