An impressive 35-40% polling was reported in the first six hours in Kerala where polling is progressing peacefully in all 20 Lok Sabha seats, most of which are witnessing a keen fight between the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-controlled UDF.
Voters turned up in large numbers all over the state since early morning under clear skies, except for a brief spell of rain in Alappuzha.
Polling was brisk in both urban and rural areas and the turnout impressive, even in upland Wayanad and Idukki as well as the long coastal stretch from Thiruvananthapuram down south to the northern most Kasargode.
In most places, women and youth came out enthusiastically to exercise their franchise. In Christian-dominated areas, nuns came out in groups to cast their votes.
Barring a minor scuffle between LDF workers and police at a booth in the state capital, no violence has been reported so far.
Prominent candidates whose fate is being decided today include former UN Under-Secretary General Shashi Tharoor (Cong- Thiruvananthapuram), IUML national president and Union Minister E Ahamed (Malappuram), former Union Minister Mullapally Ramachandran (Cong-Vatakara) and three sitting Congress MLAs-- K Sudhakaran (Kannur), K V Thomas (Ernakulam) and K C Venugopal (Alappuzha).
