The second phase of polling to the local bodies in Kerala on Thursday has witnessed even heavier polling till afternoon than was on show during the same period in the first phase held on Tuesday. The State Election Commission said that 60.20 per cent of the eligible voters have exercised their franchise till 2.30 pm.
The five districts that went to polls in the second phase are Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad. Voting was marred by isolated events of machine glitches leading to frustrating wait at the booth of up to three hours in some places. But the voters maintained their long lines and stayed on patiently.
Wayand polls highest
Wayanad had topped the polling with a turnout of 62.45 per cent till 2.30 pm, followed by Palakkad at 60.94 per cent; Ernakulam at 59.66 per cent; Thrissur at 59.61 per cent; and Kottayam at 58.97 per cent. But voting lagged in the urban areas with the Thrissur Corporation at 47.50 per cent and Cochin Corporation at 44.35 per cent.
Voters had formed long queues from early in the morning before polling started at 7 am. In fact, a particular booth in Kottayam district saw at least 19 persons cast their votes at 6 am as early as one hour before the appointed time. This triggered a protest, with all the votes getting cancelled and repolled subsequently.
Claims by rival parties
Polling is being held to 8,116 wards across 451 local bodies in the second phase of elections. K Surendran, President of state BJP, said that the main Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) would draw a blank in the northern districts of the state where polls are being held on Thursday.
Kerala Law Minister AK Balan said that both the UDF and the BJP would be swept away and the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) would clinch a landslide victory. This is even as the Pinarayi Vijayan-led ministry is facing a major political challenge in the State following a series controversies including the gold smuggling case.