Focus shifts to counting centres

With the countdown for the counting of votes for the Assembly elections already on, the nine counting centres in the district are in focus.

The most eagerly awaited results would be from the two counting centres arranged at MD Seminary Higher Secondary School.

While the political fortunes of Opposition Leader and frontrunner for the Chief Minister's post in case of a UDF victory Oommen Chandy, who had fought against Suja Susan George of CPI(M), will be announced from once of the centres, in the other centre, votes from Kottayam segment where two sitting MLAs, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (Congress) and V.N. Vasavan, fought for supremacy will be counted.

Another centre from where high profile results are expected is St Thomas' School, Pala, from where the fortunes of Kerala Congress (M) chairman K.M. Mani and former Minister and KC(M)'s Mons Joseph will be announced.

While Mr. Mani is awaiting the results of a tough fight against NCP leader Mani C. Kappan, Mr. Joseph was opposed by colleague-turned opponent Stephen George.

The others who are awaiting their political fortunes on Friday are — C.F. Thomas (KC-M) and B. Ekabl (CPI-M) in Changanassery; K. Suresh Kurup (CPI-M) and Thomas Chazhikadan (KC-M) in Ettumanur; N. Jayaraj (KC-M) and Suresh T. Nair (CPI) in Kanjirappally; P.C. George (KC-M) and Mohan Thomas (LDF-Independent) in Poonjar; and K. Ajith (CPI) and A. Saneesh Kumar (Congress) in Vaikom.

The performance of BJP which has fielded candidates in all nine constituencies, is eagerly awaited. Their performance in Kottayam and Kanjirappally, the two segments where they are expected to perform well, will have a deciding effect on the final outcome.

Kottayam district had registered 73.8 per cent polling during the April 13 election.

The LDF stronghold Vaikom registered the highest poll percent of 78.7 while Kanjirappally had the lowest, 69.9 percentage.

Polling percentage in other Assembly segments are as follows — Kaduthuruthy: 72; Ettumanur: 78.2; Kottayam: 77.4; Changanassery: 72.5; Puthuppally: 73.8; Pala: 73.40; and Poonjar: 70 per cent.