TRIVANDRUM, 23 April 2006 — Over 60 percent of 8.4 million voters have exercised their franchise in the first phase of the assembly elections held in 59 constituencies spread across six districts yesterday, according to the initial estimates. The polling was by and large peaceful. Among the VIP voters were Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, former Chief Minister A.K. Antony and V. S. Achuthanandan, the opposition leader in the Assembly who is projected as the next CM. Photo-affixed electoral rolls and electronic voting machines were used in all polling stations. Six more districts will go to polls April 29 and the remaining two troublesome northernmost districts May 3, to elect a 140-member state legislature. The results will be out May 11. Prepoll surveys predict the return of the opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) to power with a comfortable margin.
Ravi to Visit Jeddah, Riyadh
Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi will be visiting Jeddah and Riyadh on May 9 and 10 during his weeklong tour of the GCC countries. According to an official statement, he will start his trip with Bahrain, where he is expected to discuss with authorities the recent boat tragedy, in which many Indians were killed. The visit is aimed at having a closer understanding of the problems of Indians working in the region and matters mutually beneficial to the countries, it said. The minister will also hold discussions with Indian community bodies. He will also visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Tearful Farewell to Marxist Leader
Hundred of people paid homage to veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and former minister T.K. Ramakrishnan who died at the age of 83 Friday following cardiac arrest. His body was cremated in his village near Cochin with full state honors. His wife had died a few years back. He leaves behind a son and four daughters. Elected to the assembly seven times, he became a minister in 1980 in the Cabinet of E.K. Nayanar. He was again a minister during 1987-91 and 1996-2001 and was the leader of the opposition for a brief while in 1979. He was part of the state and central committee of the CPI-M and convener of the Left Democratic Front which the CPI-M heads.
Unusual Rush for Flights
Almost all Kerala-bound flights from the Middle East are packed with the elections heat on. The reason: Political parties have sent circulars to their sympathizers to campaign for their candidates and to ensure their families back home have cast their votes. In a state where the majority is always wafer thin, these votes count a lot. In the last assembly elections in one of the assembly constituencies in Trichur, the majority was a mere 27 votes. So nobody is taking any chances. As the government that was planning to grant suffrage to the expatriates was caught unawares with the Chief Election Commission calling elections in five states, some two million people continue to remain outside the democratic process in Kerala.
Electioneering Goes High Tech
SMSs, e-mails and mobile requests, poll warriors are busy conquering the cyberspace. In Kerala, where the connectivity is the best in the country, elections are fought in a new domain. Most of the candidates have launched their websites. They found it convenient to air their programs, policies and achievements. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is the latest to join the bandwagon. Thousands of e-mail missives flew out of his computer on the poll eve warning voters that “the verdict will not be just one of its kind to put someone in power for another five years, but for sure, determine what Kerala will be for another 50 years”. A leading television channel also conducted an SMS poll for the Kerala expatriates in the Gulf to vote for their candidate in a mock poll.
