New Delhi, Apr 6 (UNI) An estimated 22.90 per cent polling was recorded till 1200 hrs in the currently underway Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, 31.48 per cent in Kerala, 34.71 per cent in West Bengal and 33.18 per cent in Assam.
Approximately 35.71 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
As soon as the polling began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and urged the people to vote in large numbers.
An estimated 22.90 per cent of the 6.29 crore electorate in Tamil Nadu cast their ballots till 1200 hrs as the single-phase polling in one of the most fiercely contested Assembly elections.
A total of 3,998 candidates including heavyweights like Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, DMK president MK Stalin, AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran and Makkal Needhi Maiam President Kamal Haasan are in the fray in the state where polling is underway in 234 Assembly seats and will conclude in a single phase.
While the Chief Minister cast his vote at a polling booth in his native village Siluvampalayam near Edappadi town in Salem district, DMK president MK Stalin voted in SIET College in Chennai.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram also exercised his franchise at Kandanur in the Sivaganga district on Tuesday. Actor Rajinikanth cast his vote at Stella Marris College in Chennai.
Kerala, where polling in 140 Assembly seats is being held in a single phase, recorded 31.48 per cent turnout till 1200 hrs.
The fate of 957 candidates in the fray will be decided by 2,74,46,039 voters including 1,32,83,724 males, 1,41,62,025 females and 290 transgenders.
The state had witnessed a fierce campaign in the run-up to the polls by the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led NDA.
Kerala Chief Minister and CPI (M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan cast his vote at Pinarayi.
After exercising his franchise, Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac asserted that LDF will retain power. People will vote for development and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will retain power in the state, he said at a polling booth in Alappuzha.
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said high voter turnout will help the Congress-led United Democratic Front emerge victorious in the state.
Among the early voters was 'Metroman' E Sreedharan, contesting as the BJP-NDA candidate from the Palakkad constituency. "I have good expectations", he told reporters after casting his vote at a Ponnanipolling polling booth.
In West Bengal, polling in 31 Assembly seats are underway in the third phase of elections, with the BJP seeking victory against the TMC, and the Left Front-ISF-Congress alliance hoping to make a mark.
The fate of 205 candidates in which 13 (6pc) are female candidates will be decided by 78,52,425 voters including 39,93,280 males, 38,58,902 female and 243 third gender who are expected to exercise their franchise in 10,871 polling booths spread across the 31 constituencies, the Election Commission sources said.
The Election Commission has described as sensitive all the 31 West Bengal assembly constituencies where prohibitory orders have been imposed under Section 144 of the Cr PC in them.
Prominent candidates in the fray are BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, TMC minister Ashima Patra and CPI(M) leader Kanti Ganguly — in three districts — Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas.
A person was injured in a crude bomb explosion outside a polling booth in the Canning Purba Assembly segment.
Meanwhile, a sector officer of Uluberia Uttar constituency of Howrah district was suspended by the Election Commission for sleeping over at a relative's house with reserve EVMs.
Polling for 40 seats in the final phase of the three-phased Assembly elections in Assam is underway to decide the fate of 337 candidates, including senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his five cabinet colleagues and state BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass.
In the Union Territory of Puducherry as many as 10,03,840 electorates, including 5,30,828 women and 117 transgenders, will exercise their franchise to decide the electoral fortune of 324 candidates in 30 seats.
Voters would choose between the fronts led by the Congress and the All India NR Congress.
The Union Territory is witnessing a fight between the Congress-led alliance comprising DMK, Left parties and VCK and the NDA consisting of the AINRC, BJP, AIADMK and PMK.
The former chief minister of Puducherry and founder-leader of All India NR Congress N Rangasamy, who is contesting from Thattanchavady and Yanam constituencies, cast his vote at the Government Middle School, Thilaspet in Thattanchavady constituency.
BJP president in Puducherry and party candidate V Saminathan cast his vote at the Primary Government School Petichepet in Lawspet on April 6, 2021.
UNI Team SB RHK1352