THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, April 6: Kerala continued to witness a massive turnout of voters on Tuesday with 71.31 per cent electors casting their franchise till 6 pm as minor incidents of violence were reported from a few places.
According to the Election Commission figures, 71.31 per cent polling was recorded till 6 pm.
While 71.26 per cent of male voters had cast their franchise, 71.35 per cent were women and transgenders 36.33 per cent. As many as 957 candidates are in the poll arena vying for 140 Assembly seats in the State.
Tempers ran high at Kattayikonam in Kazhakootam constituency, a stronghold of the Marxist party in Thiruvananthapuram district, as CPI(M) and BJP workers clashed.
Four BJP workers were injured and their car was damaged.
Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, who is the LDF candidate from the constituency, told reporters that the aim of the protesters was to disrupt the voting procedure and alleged that police had acted as “BJP agent”.
Three Marxist workers, including the minister’s personal staff, have been taken into custody.
He said the BJP workers had reached Kattayikonam in two cars and allegedly attacked CPI(M) workers including a ward councillor and that he would file a complaint before the Election Commission and the DGP.
Sobha Surendran, the BJP candidate from Kazhakootam constituency, had earlier in the day held a sit-in protest in front of a polling booth in the area. – PTI
