Kerala votes for first phase of local body polls amidst political heat
Polling opened at 7 am across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam
Seven districts of Kerala voted on Tuesday in the first phase of crucial local elections, widely seen as a barometer for next year’s state assembly polls.
Polling opened at 7 am across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam. By 9.30 am, the voter turnout had crossed 14.5 per cent, according to the State Election Commission (SEC).
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Citizens from all walks of life, including popular actors such as Asif Ali and Renji Panicker, were spotted standing in queues to exercise their franchise early in the morning.
The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) expressed confidence of a “historic win” in the first phase. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, UDF convener Adoor Prakash, and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala pointed to a strong anti-incumbency sentiment and said controversies such as the Sabarimala gold issue have hurt the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), PTI news agency reported.
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Satheesan also addressed the allegations of sexual assault against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, stating that the party’s swift action against him would prevent the issue from affecting the polls. He added that the LDF’s failure to arrest the MLA so far had also worked against the ruling front.
The LDF, led by the CPI(M), remained optimistic about a strong performance. CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby said the ongoing SIT investigation into the Sabarimala gold issue would work in the front’s favour. The ruling alliance is also relying on its record of development projects and welfare initiatives to secure voter support.
Meanwhile, the BJP is campaigning aggressively to expand its footprint in the state, emphasising religious issues, including the administration of the Sabarimala temple.
The second phase of voting, covering Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad, and Kasaragod, is scheduled for December 11.
Overall, more than 1.32 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 75,632 candidates contesting across 23,576 wards. Results for all 1,199 local bodies are expected on December 13.
(With PTI inputs)
