Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 (IANS) Around 16 per cent of Kerala’s 2.71 crore electorate have cast their votes within the first two hours of polling on Thursday, setting an energetic tone for what Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described as a decisive election for the state’s future.

Leading the campaign narrative for the Left Democratic Front (LDF), CM Vijayan said the mandate would determine whether Kerala sustains its development trajectory.

After casting his vote, he stressed that there should be no interruption to progress and that continuity in governance is essential.

CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby echoed the sentiment, calling the election a vote for continuity.

“We do not claim everything was perfect, but we have done a lot, and that will reflect when people vote,” he said, expressing confidence in another term for the Left Front.

Key constituency battles underscore the high stakes.

State Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh is locked in a keen contest against Congress leader V.T. Balaram in Thrithala in Palakkad district, one of several closely watched seats.

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), however, has struck a confident note.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, after voting in Paravur, urged maximum voter participation, calling it a fundamental democratic right.

He asserted that the UDF is on course for a decisive mandate. “Our assessments clearly show we will cross 100 seats,” he said, adding that public sentiment has shifted in favour of change over the past three months of campaigning.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contesting a triangular fight in several constituencies, including Nemom, projected itself as a potential kingmaker where state BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar is fighting it out.

“This time, a fractured verdict cannot be ruled out, and the BJP will be playing a decisive role in the post-poll scenario,” said Chandrasekhar.

With brisk early turnout and sharp contrasts between continuity and change shaping the narrative, Kerala’s electorate appears set to deliver an interesting verdict.

–IANS

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