Thiruvananthapuram: In Kerala, voting is now over for all twenty Lok Sabha seats in the state. Kerala traditionally has a high voter turn out. This time though the hot humid weather may have deterred some from coming out and casting their vote. But in comparison to other states, the 60 per cent voter turn out wasn't bad at all.
Shashi Tharoor, Congress' candidate to the Lok Sabha for the first time, voted in India for the first time too in Thiruvananthapuram at 7am sharp.
But that didn't quite inspire more than half of the voters in Kerala's capital to step out of home on a hot humid day to cast their vote, with Thiruvananthapuram recording 46% voter turn out.
"We need Kerala to get more infrastructure and investment. Drinking water is a main issue here," says a voter.
The voting pattern in Kerala is like a pendulum swinging the other way every 5 years. In 2004, of the 20 Lok Sabha seats here, the LDF took 18. Kochi recorded the highest voter turn out at 68 percent.
Defence Minister A K Antony says: "We will crush the Left this election here."
With the congress desperate to emerge as the single largest party at the Centre, and the Left keen to install a Third Front government in Delhi, the stake in Kerala will be crucial for both.
But to know the peoples verdict one will have to wait till May. Till then politicians of Kerala can enjoy the luxury of making tall claims.