Campaigning for first phase of Kerala local body polls to conclude

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 7 (PTI) The campaigning for the first phase of the crucial local body polls in Kerala—considered a semi-final for the Assembly elections next year—will conclude on Sunday evening, with the Election Commission making elaborate arrangements for voting in seven districts on December 9.
    Seven southern districts-Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam- will go to polls on Tuesday in the initial phase.
    Voters in the rest of the seven districts, including Thirussur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod would use their franchise on December 11.
    As per the figures of the Election Commission, 1,32,83,789 people would cast their votes to decide the political future of 75,632 candidates on fray in 23,576 wards across the state in the two phases.
    The results in all the 1,199 local bodies are scheduled to be announced on December 13. With just a day left for the first phase polls, all three major traditional fronts have expressed confidence in garnering the most number of seats in the three-tier local bodies across the southern state.
    Unlike the usual LSGD polls, the state this time witnessed an unprecedented fighting spirit among conventional political rivals, as it is a prestigious fight for them ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
    While the ruling CPI (M)-led LDF projected the government's development and welfare initiatives, the Congress-headed UDF campaign mainly concentrated on the alleged corruption, misgovernance, and extravagance of the ruling Left regime.
    The BJP, throughout the campaign, promised to bring development and infrastructure initiatives to various local bodies and assured central assistance for the same.
    The gold loss case in the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, in which senior CPI (M) leader and former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) A Padmakumar was arrested, haunted the ruling LDF during the campaign.
    At the same time, the allegations of rape and forced abortion against Pakakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil and police cases in this regard were unexpected blows for the UDF. As a face-saving act in view of the polls, the Congress later expelled the legislator from its primary membership.
    The reported infighting among leaders and a host of local issues were a cause of worry for the BJP in many places during the campaign.
    Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner A Shajahan directed all political parties to ensure that celebrations marking the finale of the outdoor campaigning in the evening do not obstruct public movement and cause any difficulties to people.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)