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Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise in the local body elections, saying the party would reverse years of misgovernance, corruption and no development if given the opportunity.
The BJP leader and former Union Minister asserted that elections are a "celebration of democracy" and that people should think about their concerns and cast a vote for their future. Speaking to reporters after voting at Jawaharnagar GLPS booth in Kerala's capital city, Chandrasekhar said, "Elections are celebration of our democracy. It this case, the local body elections are the occasion for people to think about their concerns and to caste a vote for their future. I appeal to all Malyalis to come out and vote in large numbers. Local body elections have traditionally seen low voter turnout, which is why there was no development or governance in the local body elections for many years." Asserting the fundamental issues of the public, the state BJP chief said that people have given the LDF and UDF a chance many times, and "elections are a time to gauge what they have done". "Voting can bring in change and the development people want. The real issues in these elections are what they face every day - roads, drinking water, garbage, sewage, drainage. People have given a chance to LDF and UDF many times and elections are a time to gauge what they did. If they give us opportunity, we will reverse years of misgovernance, corruption and no development," the BJP Kerala chief said. Meanwhile, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, Union Minister George Kurian, and Opposition leader V D Satheesan were among those who cast their votes. Kerala went into the first phase of the Local Body Polls today. Elections are to be held in 1199 of the total 1200 local bodies in Kerala on December 9 and 11, with counting scheduled to be held on December 13. Kerala State Election Commissioner A Shajahan on Sunday said that 75,643 candidates were contesting for 23,576 wards across the state. The election process is being conducted in two phases: 11,168 wards in the first phase and 12,408 in the second. All necessary preparations have been made, including the distribution of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and polling materials. Additionally, Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Anu Kumari stated that eight pink booths, a feeding room, a play area for kids, etc., which will be managed by the female staff, have been set up. DC Kumari further underlined the "Young Booths" which will be handled by the staff below the age of 30, including the presiding officer. Special arrangements for the disabled have been made. Polling for the first phase of the Kerala Local Body Elections began at 7 am today across seven districts -Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam. In the previous local body elections, the LDF won 514 gram panchayats, 108 block panchayats, 11 district panchayats, 35 municipalities, and five corporations. The UDF won 321 gram panchayats and 23 municipalities, while the NDA won 19 gram panchayats. (ANI)
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