Kerala witnesses heavy polling of 77.68 per cent votes; highest in 30 years

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala witnessed a heavy polling of 77.68 per cent, the highest in 30 years, in the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, where the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF put up a fierce fight to garner maximum seats.

The strength of the electorate is 2.61 crore. It was in 1989 Parliamentary elections that the southern state had witnessed a polling of 79.3 per cent.

As per the final figures released by the Election Commission this morning, 77.68 per cent electors had turned up in 24,970 polling stations across the state Tuesday to exercise their franchise.

The high range constituency Wayanad, which came into national prominence after Congress chief's Rahul Gandhi's candidature, registered a record polling of 80.31 per cent against the 73.25 per cent registered in the 2014 elections.

It was a do-or-die battle for both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF in most of the 20 Lok Sabha seats this time in the state, known for its decades-long bipolar politics.

The BJP-led NDA put up a formidable challenge to the two traditional fronts in at least three constituencies -- Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who contested from Wayanad in addition to Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, his party colleague Shashi Tharoor, BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan (both Thiruvananthapuram) and Union Minister Alphons Kannamthanam (Ernakulam) were among prominent candidates in the fray.

Kannur in north Kerala recorded the highest polling percentage of 83.05, while the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram constituency, which saw a fierce triangular contest between Tharoor, CPI leader C Divakaran (LDF) and Rajashekharan, the percentage touched 73.45, the lowest.

Pathanamthitta, which was the ground zero of frenzied protests on the Sabarimala women's entry issue, polled 74.19 per cent votes.

Eight out of 20 constituencies recorded over 80 per cent voter turnout in one of the fiercest LS polls in the recent history of the state. It was riot of colours as women queued up in large numbers outnumbering men in all booths except in Idukki and Kottayam.

A total of 227 candidates were in the fray in the state, including 23 women. Wayanad constituency had the maximum number of candidates-- 20 and the lowest are in Alathur in Palakkad district (6).

In the 2014 polls, 74.02 per cent votes were polled in the southern state, in which the UDF had won 12 seats, LDF 8 while BJP failed to open its account.