The high-profile Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, from where Congress President Rahul Gandhi is contesting, was among those which set the pace for brisk polling in Kerala on Tuesday in the single-phase elections for 20 Lok Sabha seats.

The polling percentage is expected to be more than 70.

Thiruvananthapuram

The prestigious Thiruvanantha-puram seat, where sitting member Shashi Tharoor is locked in a three-cornered contest, had surpassed the 68.69 per cent registered in 2014 with half an hour to go for polling to end.

Neighbouring Attingal (69.53 per cent vs 68.77 per cent) and Mavelikkara (68.58 per cent vs 66.01 per cent) were the two other constituencies, both in south Kerala, where the 2014 tally was surpassed.

Apart from Thiruvananthapuram, the four other constituencies where the BJP hopes to do well too saw a good turnout, with three already having registered 70 per cent polling at 5.30 pm, according to these reports.

Pathanamthitta, the constituency where the Sabarimala shrine is located, was close to crossing the mark while the party expects Thiruvananthapuram to follow suit in due course.

Thrissur (70.42 per cent vs 73.56 per cent of 2014); Palakkad (71.70 per cent vs 76.45 per cent); and Kasaragod (71.43 per cent vs 78.49 per cent) are the other three districts where the party had already ‘made the grade’.

Smooth process

Polling process was smooth despite widespread reports of EVM malfunctioning and stray complaints in which the vote was wrongly credited to another candidate.

A voter in Thiruvanantha-puram persisted with the complaint, was allowed a test vote but failed to prove his case. He was promptly handed over to the police and an FIR was registered for raising a false complaint.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW