Impressive turnout in second phase of Kerala local body polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Braving all risks during the time of Covid 19 pandemic, voters in Kerala turned up in large numbers to register their mandates in the second phase of the local body polls, held on Thursday, which saw a remarkable 76 per cent turnout, which is all set to break the turnout in the first phase held on December 8.

According to the latest figures of the State Election Commission, Kottayam district recorded 73 per cent turnout, Ernakulam 76 per cent, Thrissur 74 per cent, Palakkad 77 per cent and Wayanad 79 per cent.

It is expected that the tally might further increase when the final figures come, as reports said that even after the official close of polling at 6 p.m, several booths had lines of people waiting to cast their votes.

In some booths, Covid positive patients and those in isolation turned up at booths after 5 p.m wearing PPE kits and cast their votes.

Superstar Mammootty, a resident of Ernakulam district, as well as his wife and actor son Dulquer Salman, failed to vote as their names went missing from the voters list, as they had moved their residence.

Former top bureaucrat turned short story writer N.S.Madhavan, after casting his vote at a booth in Ernakulam, said the voting pattern in the civic polls has a different picture as it is mostly concerning local issues.

The most keenly awaited contest will be the one at Ernakulam where the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front is determined to wrest the Cochin Corporation, which for the past two terms are with the Congress-led UDF.

Likewise in Kottayam, it is a do or die battle between two factions of the Kerala Congress-Mani, which is deeply divided. One faction, led by Jose K. Mani, son of late party founder K.M. Mani, has switched his allegiance to the LDF, while the other, led by party veteran P.J. Joseph is with the Congress-led UDF.

"The traitors of Mani sir will be given a fitting reply by the electorate," said Jose Mani, while Joseph said he is supremely confident of his party doing extremely well and Jose's faction will bite the dust.

Considerable interest is coming up at Palakkad, where the BJP is expecting to do well, as they consider it as one of their strongholds.

LDF convenor and CPI-M state Secretary A. Vijayaraghavan said there is no doubt of the outcome as they are going to come out with winning colours.

Congress legislator Anil Akkara has approached the State Election Commission with a complaint against State Local Self Government Minister A.C.Moideen , who is understood to have cast his vote at 6.55 a.m.

The third and final phase of the polls will be held on December 14 in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargode districts and the counting of votes will be held on December 16.