Kerala registered 76% voter turnout on Thursday when all 20 seats of the state went to polls.
The high turnout — 3% more that what was recorded in 2009 — was in line with Kerala's tradition. The state has 2.42 crore voters.Almost all 20 constituencies witnessed brisk polling. Serpentine queues were visible as the polling drew close in the evening.
Muslim-dominated areas in Malabar (north Kerala) saw an unprecedented turnout.
Both the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-controlled Left Democratic Front (LDF) claimed that the high turnout would help them. In the 2009 polls, the UDF had won 16 and the LDF four.
In southern Kerala, polling was affected in some booths following a heavy downpour that resulted in power disruption.
Those booths were given extra time to compensate for the time lost.
Apart from stray incidents, polling was peaceful throughout the state.
The maximum turnout was in Kannur, while the lowest was in Thiruvananthapuram.
Prominent candidates in the fray were Shashi Tharoor (minister of state for HRD), Congress spokesperson PC Chacko and E Ahmed (minister of state for external affairs), and CPI(M) politburo member MA Baby.
Defence minister AK Antony and Shashi Tharoor cast their votes in Thiruvananthapuram, chief minister Ooomen Chandy in his home town Kottayam. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan exercised his franchise in his home village Alapuzha.
Defence minister AK Antony and Shashi Tharoor cast their votes in Thiruvananthapuram, chief minister Ooomen Chandy in his home town Kottayam. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan exercised his franchise in his home village Alapuzha.
After casting his vote, Antony said the UDF would secure at least one seat more than 2009 tally.
CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan claimed the Congress would be decimated in the elections.
Polling in other states:
Bihar | Chandigarh | Chattisgarh | Haryana | Jharkhand | Jammu | Delhi | Madhya Pradesh | Maharashtra | Odisha | Uttar Pradesh