Voting day in Kerala, Assam; bypolls add to high-stakes political fight

New Delhi: Today, on April 9, voting is going on for the assembly elections in three big states and one union territory of the country. Voting has started from 7 am in the morning and will continue till 6 pm. In Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, voting is taking place simultaneously across the state, while by-elections are also going on simultaneously in some places. Tight security arrangements have been made so that everything remains peaceful.

At which places are votes being cast today?

This time the main contest is on the assembly seats of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry. Voting is taking place in the same phase at these three places. Besides, some by-elections are also being held in Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura. In Goa, the court stopped the elections at the last moment, hence voting could not take place there.

Whose credibility is at stake in Assam?

Decision is to be taken today on 126 assembly seats of Assam. More than 2.5 crore voters are casting their votes, among whom a significant number of youth are present. The ruling BJP and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are expressing confidence in the work of their government. Whereas Congress has given him a tough competition. More than 700 candidates are in the fray here. The entire state is voting in one phase and thousands of polling booths have been set up.

Can the equation of power change in Kerala?

Voting is also taking place today on 140 seats in Kerala. More than 800 candidates are trying their luck here. For a long time, power in the state has been rotating between two alliances — the ruling LDF (Left) and the opposition UDF (Congress alliance). While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is enumerating the work of his government, the opposition is talking about change. This time also the contest is being considered between these two alliances.

Who will win in Puducherry?

About 9.5 lakh voters are casting their votes today for 30 seats in Puducherry. Here NDA is trying to save its government, while Congress alliance is challenging it. This time the fight has become more interesting with the entry of a new party. Additional security forces have been deployed in some sensitive areas.

Where are the by-elections being held?

Along with the assembly elections, some by-elections are also being held today. Voting is on two seats in Karnataka. Voting is going on for one seat in Nagaland, where special attention is being paid to security. By-election is also being held on Dharmanagar seat of Tripura. Voting is being done at these places also from morning till evening.

Why were elections stopped in Goa?

The by-election to be held in Goa was canceled at the last moment. The High Court stayed the Election Commission's notification. Some people had already cast postal ballots, but the court's decision was not changed. Now this election has been postponed further.

The election atmosphere is hot today in the entire country. To ensure that voting is peaceful, concrete arrangements have been made everywhere. The results will come on May 4. There is an appeal to the people going to vote to reach the polling booth on time and participate in this process of democracy.