Thiruvananthapuram: After a day of unofficial, one-on-one campaigning, voters in the five southern districts are all set are set to go to the polls to select representatives to their respective local bodies on Tuesday.
However, the entire election, in three phases, is being viewed with great concern – that it could lead to an already bad Coivd-19 situation in the state taking a turn for the worse. The first phase of polling – covering Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki – will involve 318 grama panchayats, 50 block panchayats, five district panchayats, 20 municipalities and two corporations.
There are a total of 88,26,620 voters in the five districts, of which 41,58,341 are men and 46,68,209 women and 70 transgenders. Thiruvananthapuram has the highest number of voters, with 28,38,077, followed by Kollam (22,22,770), Alappuzha (17,82,580), Pathanamthitta (10,78,550) and Idukki (9,04,643).
Just over 42,500 are first-time voters. There will be a total of 11,225 polling booths to which 56,122 officials have been deployed.
Health minister sounds
alarm bells
Health minister K K Shailaja expressed concern at the lack of social distancing at centres where polling materials were distributed to officials. Covid-19 protocols were visibly flouted in many distribution centres where polling officials had gathered in large numbers.
The minister fumed at reports coming from distribution centres, forcing the state election commission to seek an explanation from authorities. District administrations conceded that crowding had occurred in the initial stage but this was quickly sorted out.
The health minister warned that if polling officials don’t follow protocols the situation could go out of control. “All warnings have been issued by the government. We may have to pay a heavy price for any laxity on the part of officials or people,’’ she said.
She also urged voters to ensure proper use of santizers and physical distancing at polling booths. After casting votes everyone should wash their hands, she added.
Three-cornered contest
On a day of quiet campaigning in most districts, party leaders and legislators, accompanied by candidates, were seen personally meeting voters. The three major political parties, Congress, CPM and BJP, are betting on a stellar showing. The UDF is hoping for a major upset victory over the LDF, which has always had an upper hand in local-body polls. The BJP-led NDA is aiming to make deep inroads in several places.
The high-profile Thiruvananthapuram city corporation is poised for a fierce triangular contest. If LDF is confident of continuing in power, the BJP, which was the main opposition party in the last council, is hoping to turn the tables this time round. UDF is eyeing a face-saving performance after the ignominy of the last election.