Kerala - Kattappana   

Rallies, sloganeering mark end of electioneering

KATTAPPANA: Public campaigning for Assembly polls came to a close at 5 p.m. in the district on Monday.

The main towns of Thodupuzha, Munnar, Kumily, and Kattappana witnessed public rallies, organised mainly by the Left Democratic Front, United Democratic Front, and the Bharatheeya Janata Party.

Party workers raised slogans in support of their candidates. The towns also witnessed loudspeaker announcements and last-minute campaign by the local leaders.

Sources in the Special Branch said that no untoward incident was reported anywhere in the district and it was a peaceful show of strength by the party activists.

After swift campaigns in the interior forest areas and remote places, the candidates also returned to their base camps.

The main focus of the campaign was personal visits by candidates.

Both the fronts exuded confidence as party workers had completed house visits and distribution of campaign materials even in remote tribal settlement areas and estate lanes.

The official machinery, with Thodupuzha as the main camp, was also in full swing making final arrangements for the polls. In addition to the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, 142 private buses and 378 four-wheelers are hired to transport election materials and officials to different polling booths.

To reach the remotest tribal settlement of Edamalakkudy within the Munnar forest, the officials will have to walk on foot 18 km through the forest.

Remote booths

Sub-Collector M.G. Rajamanikyam told The Hindu that police wireless facilities would be used as the main mode of communication within the settlement area. The facility would be used to provide election updates and other details to the district election office at Painavu, he said.

Heavy rush was witnessed on Monday in the buses from the border areas to Tamil Nadu as workers of Tamil origin moved to their native places to cast their votes.

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