K.C. Venugopal, All India Congress Committee general secretary and United Democratic Front candidate in Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, visiting a polling station on Friday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Two first-time voters after exercising their franchise in Lok Sabha polls in Alappuzha on Friday. | Photo Credit: SURESH ALLEPPEY
The Alappuzha and Mavelikara constituencies witnessed a moderate voter turnout in the Lok Sabha elections held on Friday.
While 74.75% of 14,00,083 voters exercised their franchise in the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, 65.91% of 13,31,880 voters cast their ballots in the Mavelikara constituency. Polling continued at several places even after 6 p.m. The voting percentage is expected to go up as the Election Commission has not yet released the final figures. In 2019, the Alappuzha Parliament constituency registered 80.25% voter turnout. Mavelikara witnessed a polling percentage of 74.23% five years ago.
Glitches in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were reported from a few places. Voting was delayed for an hour at Panchayat Government Lower Primary School at Edathua in Kuttanad after EVM developed a snag. Issues with EVMs also resulted in delays at Kainakary in Kuttanad, Aroor, Mavelikara and some other places. An elderly voter collapsed and died after exercising his franchise at Ambalappuzha in Alappuzha. The deceased was identified as Somarajan, 82, of Kakkazhom. Though he was taken to a nearby hospital, his life could not be saved.
The voting started at 7 a.m. on a brisk note. The Alappuzha constituency witnessed a voter turnout of 13.09% till 9 a.m. Mavelikara registered a turnout of 12.71% in the first two hours. All voters who reached the polling station by 6 p.m. were allowed to exercise their franchise.
Officials said that the polling was largely peaceful barring minor issues.
Former Union Minister and Congress leader Vayalar Ravi, Former Minister and CPI (M) leader G. Sudhakaran, Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, A.M. Ariff, MP, K.C. Venugopal MP, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, actor Kunchacko Boban, actor Fahadh Faasil and director Faasil cast their votes in their respective polling booths in Alappuzha district.
All major candidates – Mr. Ariff of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), Mr. Venugopal of the United Democratic Front (UDF), Shobha Surendran of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Alappuzha parliamentary constituency and Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, of the UDF, C.A. Arunkumar of the LDF and Baiju Kalasala of the NDA in the Mavelikara constituency exuded confidence of victory.
A Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] member sustained injuries after he was attacked by a former CPI(M) worker at Veliyanad in Kuttanad on election day. The injured Ramachandran was admitted to Government Taluk Head Quarters Hospital, Pulinkunnu. The CPI(M) had ousted Manikuttan from the party on a misconduct charge. He recently submitted a letter to the CPI(M) local leadership asking to re-induct him into the party. However, Ramachandran and some others opposed his re-induction. Manikuttan reportedly attacked him with an axe.
