THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Brisk voting witnessed in the coastal belt of Thiruvananthapuram in the early hours only gained momentum as the day wore on. Muslim women voters came out in large numbers when the booths opened as the men trooped to nearby mosques for Friday prayers. Christian voters, however, pulled their weight right from morning. This is expected to be crucial for both the LDF and the UDF.
District Congress committee chief Palode Ravi and the lone Congress MLA in the district, M Vincent, exuded confidence in their candidate Shashi Tharoor improving on his 99,000-plus victory margin in 2019.
At 12:30pm, Vallakadavu LP School wore a desolate look with just a handful of people lining up to vote. Polling booths at this venue were categorised as vulnerable and five policemen from Theni, Tamil Nadu, were posted here from Tuesday. Two of the officers, K Chelladurai and Thaya Ayyarsamy, told TNIE that no untoward incidents were reported.
“The humidity, which is worse than back home, took a toll. We think it’s the humid conditions that forced voters to stay away,” the two echoed.
Thiruvananthapuram City commissioner C Nagaraju visited almost every polling booth in the coastal areas. “Everything has been hunky-dory. Polling was brisk till noon. Voters returned in large numbers later in the evening,” Nagaraju told TNIE.
In the majority of polling booths, women were seen waiting for long hours after voting for the men of their families to arrive. Sameen Abdul Rahim was forced to wait for her son for two hours at St Antony’s Higher Secondary School. For Natasha Justin, a second-year BTech student, and her elder brother, Nevil Justin, who has been job-hunting after completing his graduation, the opportunity to cast their first vote was memorable.
“We are extremely happy to be part of the democratic process. Both of us voted for the candidate who our parents endorsed. We know very well that their choice will not be wrong,” both Nevil and Natasha said.
The constituency’s coastal belt stretches from Pozhiyoor to Pallipuram, and comprises the assembly segments of Parassala, Kovalam, Neyyattinkara, and Thiruvananthapuram Central, besides portions of Kazhakoottam.
Even if one of the communities votes en masse in favour of the CPM, the votes from the coastal belt will stand Tharoor in good stead, Palode Ravi said. “There has been a minority consolidation in favour of the Congress, on the back of the support of the backward communities,” he added.
MLA Vincent said that as per preliminary reports, close to 65-70% votes have been polled in the coastal belt alone.
65-70% votes polled
UDF exuded confidence in their candidate Shashi Tharoor improving on his 99,000-plus victory margin in 2019
As per preliminary reports, close to 65-70% votes have been polled in the coastal belt alone
In the majority of polling booths, women were seen waiting for long hours after voting for the men of their families to arrive
The constituency’s coastal belt stretches from Pozhiyoor to Pallipuram