People waiting for their turn to vote at a poling booth at JPE Training College, Koorkenchery, in Thrissur.
| Photo Credit: K.K. NAJEEB
With three high-profile candidates in a mix, Thrissur witnessed one of the toughest campaigns in the State. The three fronts didn’t leave any stone unturned. Notwithstanding the nail-biting competition, Thrissur recorded a voter turnout of 72.20 %, marking 5.72% less than the 2019 elections. Polling percentage was 77.92 in 2019.
Of the seven Assembly constituencies in Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, Puthukkad recorded the highest polling percentage at 76.34. Polling percentage in other Assembly constituencies are: Guruvayur 69.46; Manalur 71.4; Ollur 73.25; Thrissur 69.67; Nattika 72.15; Irinjalakuda 73.17.
Barring a few incidences of minor altercations over alleged bogus names in voter’s list, polling was largely peaceful in the constituency.
The UDF and LDF workers raised protest against allowing a few people to cast votes in Hari Sree School, Punkunnam, alleging they were from outside the constituency.
Names of many workers from other States and other constituencies have been added in the voters’ list , both UDF and LDF workers alleged. Tension prevailed as BJP workers intervened to let them vote. Finally the District Collector intervened and promised to look into the issue after the polls.
The UDF alleged that fake vote was cast in Booth No. 33 in Anthikkad panchayat. DCC president Jose Vallur alleged that the vote of 70-year-old T.V. Saleena was cast by somebody else.
The polling which started at a brisk pace slowed down by afternoon. People started coming in large numbers again after 3 p.m. Long queues were found in almost all polling booths even after the gates of polling stations were closed at 6 p.m. Technical snag of EVMs delayed voting in many places.
Minister Ministers K. Rajan and R. Bindu, MLAs, candidates and other eminent persons cast their votes in the morning itself. LDF candidate V.S. Sunilkumar, NDA candidate Suresh Gopi, Palakkad LDF candIdate A. Vijayaraghavan, Chalakudy LDF candidate C. Raveendranath cast their votes.
Mr. Sunilkumar expressed confidence that they will wrest the constituency back from the UDF. “The effort of the BJP to influence the voters by giving money was a cheap tactic,” he said.
Lashing at the UDF against their allegation of BJP-CPI(M) secret alliance, he said the UDF which smelt defeat was looking for excuses.
Mr. Gopi cast his vote along with his family at St. George LP school, Mukkattukara. He was confident that the BJP would open an account in the State in Thrissur.
“This is the first time I am casting my vote for myself,” he said. He had shifted his vote from Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur.
“We only have a few options. Choosing the right person is important,” actor and Election Commission’s SVEEP (Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation) Kerala ambassador Tovino Thomas said after casting his vote in Irinjalakuda.
Thrissur Archbishop and CBCI President Mar Andrews Thazhath told the reporters after casting his vote at St. Clare’s School, that the issue of Manipur may reflect in the election results.