Polling for 404 seats in south ends, high voter turnout

Chennai/Thiruvanthapuram Marking the end of the election cycle, the single-phased polls across 404 seats in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Tuesday concluded peacefully even as few incidents of clashes and complaints against candidates were reported from some areas

Chennai/Thiruvanthapuram Marking the end of the election cycle, the single-phased polls across 404 seats in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Tuesday concluded peacefully even as few incidents of clashes and complaints against candidates were reported from some areas.

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The electoral process, which was held from 7 am to 7 pm, registered a high voter turnout as officials ensured strict security and adherence to Covid-19 protocols. Those arriving at poll stations were provided hand sanitisers to clean their hands and a disposable glove. Some people who arrived without masks were asked to wear one to be able to vote.

In Tamil Nadu, a voter turnout of 71.79 per cent was recorded as polling in 234 seats was conducted at a brisk pace across the state. On Tuesday, the state held its first assembly election after the death of two Dravidian stalwarts and former chief ministers M Karunanidhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and J Jayalalithaa of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). The DMK-led alliance is looking to unseat the AIADMK government after being out of power for 10 years.

Chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswami, accompanied by his grandson, cast his vote at Siluvampalayam in his native Salem district and urged all people to do the same. “I request (all) to perform our democratic duty,” he told reporters.

Celebrities like Rajinikanth was among the early voters while top actor Vijay rode a bicycle to the polling booth leading to speculation by social media users who asked if it was a subtle ‘sign’ of opposition to rise in fuel prices. His publicist, however, clarified that he cycled as the booth was nearby and he didn’t want to create any parking issues.

After visiting a poll booth in Coimbatore, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief ministerial candidate Haasan alleged cash distribution and submitted a complaint in this regard. “There is widespread cash distribution. They are giving tokens for it to be exchanged for cash. I got these reports,” he told reporters.

Chief electoral officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo sought a report from Chennai district election officer on an AIADMK complaint against DMK chief M K Stalin’s son and Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni candidate Udhayanidhi for sporting the party flag and rising sun symbol on his white shirt.

Similarly, the DMK complained against BJP Thousand Lights candidate Khushboo Sundar for coming to the polling station in a car bearing the party flag.

DMK candidate for Thondamuthur assembly segment, Karthikeya Shivesenapathy lodged a complaint alleging that he was mobbed by some AIADMK workers, when he was proceeding to a polling station. A minor clash ensued between workers of the two parties which was quickly resolved by local police.

Stone pelting was reported in Theni district from where deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam is contesting. His son and Lok Sabha MP O P Ravindranath’s car was reportedly damaged, prompting additional forces to take position in the area.

CEO Sahoo, meanwhile, dismissed reports that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) at a polling station in Virudhunagar displayed only a particular symbol regardless of whichever candidate they selected. Only the symbol that was chosen gets recorded in the EVM and the same was corroborated in the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail units, he said.

The officer also brushed aside reports that one or two poll officials died during duty.

Voters who had tested positive for Covid-19 were allowed to cast their ballot during the last hour of polling (6 pm to 7 pm) and were provided with PPE kits, officials said. DMK MP Kanimozhi, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, arrived at her polling booth in an ambulance during this period to cast her vote.

Kerala, which is witnessing a fierce fight between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), registered heavy polling with 73.58 per cent of the total 2.4 crore voters casting their franchise in 140 seats.

Despite the scorching heat and sporadic rain in many parts, people stood in long queues to take part in the electoral process. Three senior citizens, waiting to cast their vote in Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts, collapsed and died, officials said.

Constituencies in northern Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thirssur were among those districts which recorded comparatively higher polling percentage while southern districts like Pathanamthitta and Idukki reported lower percentage, according to people familiar with the developments.

Barring a few complaints of bogus voting and altercation between rival party workers, polling turned out to be peaceful in the state where the LDF is attempting to buck the trend of political parties swapping power every five years to return for a historic second consecutive term by beating the UDF.

A traditional third in the state’s bipolar politics, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance has also made some swift moves to stay afloat, including naming Metro Man E Sreedharan as its chief ministerial candidate.

“The BJP will have an impressive show this time. There’s no doubt about it. I will win from the Palakkad constituency with a big margin. My entry into the BJP has given a different image to the party,” Sreedharan, who is contesting from Palakkad constituency, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI after casting his vote.

Senior Congress leader AK Antony believed that the UDF will make a strong comeback. “For the last few days, an anti-government wave is sweeping all over the state. The voters of Kerala will throw LDF out of power. The UDF will come back with thunder. The Congress-led UDF government will be formed in Kerala strengthening Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in their fight against anti-people policies of the Centre,” he told reporters after casting his vote in the state capital.

In Taliparambha in north Kerala, the UDF sought re-polling in several stations, alleging booth capturing and bogus voting. In Kazhakootam (Thiruvananthapuram), a violent clash between Communist Party of India (Marxist) and BJP workers left five persons injured from both camps. The ruling party workers also allegedly manhandled Abdul Rasheed, the UDF’s candidate from Adoor.

A presiding officer in Payyanur constituency in Kerala’s Kannur was hospitalised after he was allegedly attacked by CPI(M) activists for reportedly preventing a man from voting without an identity document. Voting was stopped for half an hour and another officer was appointed to replace him.

In a month-long campaign, political parties have clashed on contentious issues, including allegations of gold smuggling against some officials in the chief minister’s office and the controversy around the entry of all women in to the Sabarimala Temple.

The temple issue, however, returned on polling day after G Sukumaran Nair, general secretary of the Nair Service Society, a socio-educational body of the upper caste Nairs, said devotees were yet to get justice and this would reflect in the assembly results.

“The NSS general secretary and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala gave an impression that the election was a battle between believers and non-believers. Invoking religious issues is against the poll code of conduct,” state law minister A K Balan said in his complaint to the chief electoral officer.

For the 30-member Puducherry assembly,81.64 per cent of 1,004,507 electors exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 324 candidates. The Union Territory slipped into a political crisis shortly before the elections were announced, when the Congress-led government fell due to defections.

Yanam, where the AINRC leader N Rangasamy is contesting, registered a higher percentage of polling than the other three regions from the beginning. Rangasamy is seeking election to the territorial Assembly from Thattanchavady segment in Puducherry region also.

The contest here is keen between the AINRC-led NDA and the Congress-led Secular Democratic alliance.

There was tight security across all booths and polling remained peaceful throughout the day.

Several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged voters to cast their votes. Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh also appealed to voters in the four states and one Union Territory to exercise their franchise in record numbers.