Millions voted in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, bringing down the curtains on staggered five-state elections
Published: Mon 16 May 2016, 8:19 AM
Last updated: Tue 17 May 2016, 1:13 AM
Millions voted on Monday in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, bringing down the curtains on staggered five-state elections - the biggest popularity test since the Lok Sabha battle.
Some 40 million voted in Tamil Nadu, which saw multiple contests in all constituencies for the first time, and about 18 million in Kerala, where the BJP made determined efforts to make inroads in a state dominated by the Congress-led UDF and the LDF headed by the CPI-M.
The polling percentage in Kerala - which elects a 140-seat assembly - was 70.35 at 5 p.m. Election Commission officials said it could well cross the 75.12 per cent recorded in 2011 when the polling ends at 6pm.
Over 12 per cent polling in Kerala
Millions vote in Kerala; Chandy, Left confident
Nearly 13 million people had voted by Monday afternoon in Kerala to pick a new assembly, with both the Congress and the Left insisting they were on the road to victory. Long queues formed outside polling centres across the state right from 7 a.m. despite rains, with officials saying that 43.88 percent of the 26 million voters had exercised their franchise by 1 p.m.
The balloting, to elect 140 legislators, will end at 6 p.m.
As per election officials, the state has 2,60,19,284 voters comprising 1,25,10,589 males, 1,35,08,693 females and two voters belonging to the third gender.
Overall, there are 21,498 regular polling booths and 148 auxiliary polling booths, of which there are 1,233 categorised as critical and including 119 booths that are in Maoist-influenced areas.
A total of 1,203 contestants, including 109 women, are in the fray.
Despite rains and the cloudy weather across the state, people were seen queuing up in front of most polling booths.
The electoral battle is principally between the traditional rival fronts - the Congress-led UDF and the CPI-M-led LDF, while the BJP-led NDA alliance is hoping a major victory.
As brisk voting continued, both Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and CPI-M veteran V.S. Achuthanandan asserted that their coalitions were set to win the electoral battle.
Chandy said after casting his vote that he was confident the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) would retain its majority in the assembly.
"We're quite confident about winning of UDF this time. BJP will not open account in the assembly election," CM Oommen Chandy
CPI-M politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed absolute confidence that they were on course to form the next government.
"People will vote out the most corrupt government and there will be no space in Kerala for those who practice communal politics," - Pinarayi Vijayan after casting his vote in Kannur district.
Minister of State for Excise K.Babu, who came under flak for his alleged role in the bar scam that rocked Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's government, told reporters at Ernakulam soon after casting his vote that there is no doubt the Congress-led UDF was going to win.
Superstar Suresh Gopi, who recently was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Rajya Sabha, after casting his vote in the capital city said the hopes of the NDA alliance is sky high.
"Elections, today is similar to a circus ring, where strategies of various kinds are adopted. We have done our duty and placed our things before the people and now let the people decide," - Suresh Gopi
Former state minister of finance K.M.Mani who had to resign following an adverse court remark for his role in the bar scam, cast his vote along with his wife at his home town in Pala near Kottayam.
The actor son of superstar Mammootty, Dulqar Salman while waiting for his turn to vote at Ernakulam said that this is the first time that he is casting his vote in Kerala.
"In the previous elections, I used to vote in Chennai. I am happy, that this time I am voting here and the youth should come out in large numbers to vote as it's their responsibility and the right to do so," - Dulqar Salman.
Meanwhile, 70-year-old Kunju Abdullah Haji who came to cast his vote at the CKG College at Perambara near Kozhikode collapsed while standing in the queue to vote and was declared dead when he was taken to a nearby hospital.
As per election officials, the state has 2,60,19,284 voters comprising 1,25,10,589 male, 1,35,08,693 female and two voters belonging to the third gender.
Overall, there are 21,498 regular polling booths and 148 auxiliary polling booths, of which there are 1,233 categorised as critical and including 119 booths that are in Maoist-influenced areas.
Millions vote in Tamil Nadu
Nearly 15 million people voted on Monday in the first four hours of polling to pick a new Tamil Nadu assembly, officials said.
The Election Commission said some 25.2 per cent of the 58 million voters had exercised their franchise between 7 and 11 a.m.
Leaders of all major political parties were among the early voters.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa on Monday cast her vote here in the ongoing state legislative assembly elections.
"In two days time, the people's verdict will be known." - J.Jayalalithaa
DMK chief M.Karunanidhi, his son and party treasurer M.K.Stalin, the state leader of BJP Tamilisai Soundararajan, Congress leader P.Chidambaram and others cast their votes.
"The victory prospects for the DMK-Congress combine is bright. The DMK-led alliance will win required number of seats to form the next government." - M.Karunanidhi.
Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and in some places in southern districts are experiencing rains which in turn has slowed down the voting.
There were also reports of malfunctioning of voting machines and power cuts in some places that has slowed down the process.
In Chennai, voting is progressing at a brisk pace.
Polling in the 232 out of 234 assembly constituencies began in Tamil Nadu at 7.00am and will end at 6.00pm.
The Election Commission had campaigned hard to achieve 100 per cent polling in the state.
Around 5.82 crore voters are set to elect the new 234-member assembly in the polls and on May 23 for Thanjavur and Aravakurichi constituencies.
The Election Commission has postponed the elections in Thanjavur and Aravakurichi after it received complaints about large scale distribution of money to the voters by political parties and their candidates vitiating the electoral process.
In the 232 constituencies, there are 3,728 candidates in the fray.
In 234 constituencies, a total of 3,776 candidates including 320 women are in the fray. There are 1,566 independent candidates are also trying their electoral fortunes.
The ruling AIADMK is going to the polls aligning with a couple of smaller parties fielding its candidates in 227 seats and the balance seven has been given to its allies.
The DMK has aligned with the Congress, two Muslim parties and some smaller outfits.
The third front led by the DMDK comprises the CPI-M, CPI, VCK, TMC and MDMK under its fold.
The PMK is contesting alone while the BJP has aligned with few smaller parties.
Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan cast their vote
Superstar Rajinikanth, actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan and Ajith Kumar cast their votes in the ongoing Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections.
Image via Twitter
While Rajinikanth cast his vote at Stella Maris College, Ajith along with his wife Shalini exercised their franchise at government school on Kuppam Beach Road.
Kamal Haasan, who had earlier said he might miss voting due to the shoot of his upcoming trilingual film "Sabaash Naidu", stayed back to cast his vote at Corporation School in Teynampet. Haasan was joined by his younger daughter Akshara.
Actor Suriya skipped voting as he could not return from the US, where he had gone with his family for a holiday. In a statement, Suriya apologised for being not able to present to cast his vote.
Other actors who cast their vote include Jiiva and Vidharth.
Over 30 percent voting in Puducherry
Over 30 percent of the voters have cast their ballot in the union territory of Puducherry where polling is underway on Monday to elect the 30-member assembly, the Election Commission (EC) said.
The balloting picked up pace as votng was just over 10 percent at 9.00 a.m.
There are over 9.4 lakh voters in Puducherry.
Polling in Puducherry began at 7.00 am and will end at 6.00 pm.
A total of 344 candidates are in the fray.
The main fight is between the Congress-DMK combine and the ruling All India NR Congress (AINRC).
The AIADMK -- the ruling party in Tamil Nadu -- is going it alone in Puducherry.
Voting underway in Meghalaya
Over 44 per cent of the over six lakh voters exercised their franchise by Monday afternoon to elect a Lok Sabha member from Tura in Meghalaya.
The by-election was necessitated following the demise of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma on March 4.
"Polling is going on smoothly and 44.2 per cent have voted by 1.00 pm," Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor told IANS.
Sangma's youngest son Conrad K. Sangma of the NPP is pitted against Congress nominee Dikkanchi.D. Shira, wife of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
"We (Congress) are optimistic of winning," Shira told IANS after voting at Chengkompara in Ampati assembly segment.
Shira, a legislator in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly, was accompanied by Mukul Sangma and their daughter. She was equally confident of winning.
"I am hopeful we will win because the voters have realised the good work carried out by the Congress government," she said.
Conrad earlier exuded confidence that the voters of Garo Hills would elect him as the Lok Sabha member as a tribute to his late father Purno Sangma.
Conrad, who has the support of the BJP and regional parties like the United Democratic Party (UDP), is a former Meghalaya finance minister and the Opposition leader in the state Assembly.
Since 1977 and until his demise on March 4 this year, with the exception of 1989 and 2009, the late Purno Sangma had represented Tura in the Lok Sabha for nine terms.
The Tura Lok Sabha seat, which covers 24 assembly segments, has 622,189 voters.
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