After an intensive campaign, which veered around the merits of candidates and division-specific issues rather than political ones, the voters of the Kochi Corporation will choose their civic representatives in 24 hours.
Barring a few Congress leaders, no political heavyweights toured the district to pack a punch to the campaign through their personal presence. While the Congress banked on its MP Hibi Eden and MLA T.J. Vinod to take its campaign to voters, the CPI(M) had its home-grown leader P. Rajeev to spearhead its campaign.
With a day left for the polling, the battle-hardened local leaders of both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) exuded confidence that they would emerge victorious in the election to Kochi Corporation.
Even while highlighting the merits of their individual candidates and the possibility of them getting elected to the 74-member corporation council, front leaders were hoping that rebels in their rival camps would swing the electoral fortune to their favour.
The UDF, which had posted two successive wins since 2010 and thereby ending the three decade-long innings of the LDF, had 39 members in the previous council, while the BJP had two. The LDF had the support of 30 members with the CPI(M), the major partner in the coalition, winning 25 seats. Three of the LDF rebels had also won the popular mandate last time.
This time too, rebels may play an important role in deciding the winners as a few sitting councillors and prominent candidates, who enjoy the trust of voters, are in the fray.
Elderly voters
While the voter turnout in the first phase of the election held on Tuesday turned out to be a solace for different political camps, apprehensions are also rife over the reported reluctance of elderly voters to come out of their homes to participate in the democratic process.
The COVID-19 scare remains live and it may force at least a few elders to stay indoors on December 10, the crucial polling day. Many voters had flagged the issue during the campaign, said a candidate who is in the fray.
On Wednesday, candidates and their poll managers will be busy with the last-minute preparations for bringing maximum number of voters to polling booths.
