It was a first time for her. Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore exercised her right to franchise at Nurses Primary Health Centre, near Ambalamukku, on Monday afternoon.
Ms. Lakshmi Bayi, a voter in the Vattiyurkavu segment, told The Hindu that she had felt no compulsion to vote till now.
On what prompted the change, especially against the backdrop of the family proclaiming equidistance from all political parties till now, she said the family had no differences with any party, and welcomed them all.
Her prayer, she said, was that those who worked for the State’s welfare won or those who won worked for the State’s welfare. She was accompanied by sons Marthanda Varma and Aditya Varma and Adithya Varma’s wife Rashmi Varma. Mr. Marthanda Varma, who was casting his vote for the second time, said representatives from a number of parties had come to meet Ms. Lakshmi Bayi, and it had played a role in her decision to cast her vote. Casting of her vote would also signal further interactions with the people, he said.
