THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sadiq Ali, 72, had an excitement matching a teenager as he arrived to vote — for the first time in his life. He was registered as a voter at the polling booth in Perumala Govt LP School in Vamanapuram constituency.
An expatriate since he was 22, he spent his life in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, where he was a teacher.
His wife and children have had the chance to exercise their franchise, but Sadiq unfortunately could not. Having returned from the Gulf, Sadiq fulfilled his long-time wish by getting his name enrolled in the voters’ list.
“I did not travel to India too often during that time as my family was there with me. Travel during election time was even less so. Now, I’m happy to be part of the great exercise,” he said.