Campaigning for Assembly elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry ends today. Single phase polling will be held in these states on Wednesday.In Kerala, 140 constituencies in fourteen districts of the state will go to the poll on Wednesday. As never before intense campaigning concludes by 5 PM on Monday a number of prominent leaders of major political parties are engaged in winning over voters.AIR correspondent reports, as a few hours are left for the final effort for political parties, intense campaigning to woo each voter is underway in Kerala.Of course, as in the past the main tussle is between Congress led UDF and CPIM led LDF. However, BJP in its earnest effort to open account in Kerala assembly has been equally strong in campaigning.The aggressive active campaigning comes to an end at 5pm today. Contrary to 2006 assembly poll, multiplicity of electronic media provided an altogether different manifestation to campaigning and political tussle in God's own country.About one lakh polling officials and 85000 thousand security personnel are to ensure free and fair poll in Kerala.In Tamil Nadu, Election Commission has issued a notice to DMK leader M.K. Stalin for personally attacking AIADMK Chief Jayalalitha, for violation of model Code of Conduct. The commission has asked Mr. Stalin to submit his response by Monday evening.AIADK had on 8th April filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Stalin who had allegedly made some remarks against Jayalalithaa.In Channai, Chief elctoral oficer Mr Praveen Kumar has passed restrictions on movement of vehicles and persons who do not belong to the constituency. In a press release, Mr Kumar has said that Opinion polls will be banned from five pm on Monday till the 13th of April and the exit polls from the 13th of this month to 10th of May.AIR correspondent reports that electioneering comes to a close today even as leaders rush through their schedule of visiting the constituencies.In Puducherry, as campaigning will come to a close a few hours from now, political parties are involved in intense campaigning to woo the voters. AIR correspondent reports, with just few hours left for the campaign to end, political parties slipped into a frenzied mood in their last minute effort to garner votes. Besides candidates and their supporters engaged in door-to-door canvassing, autorikshaws and taxies fitted with microphones are going around residential localities playing popular tunes and seeking votes for their candidates. The administration, meanwhile, has closed all IMFL and country liquor shops in the union territory from today till 13th. The government has also declared holiday for all schools on Tuesday and Wednesday. In Andhra Pradesh, notification has been issued Monday morning for holding bye-election for Kadapa Parliamentary and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies. Polling will be held on 8th May and the last date of filing of nominations will be 18th of this month. Counting of votes will take place on 13th of May. Kadapa Lok Sabha seat fell vacant following Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s resignation after he left Congress party, while bye election was necessitated for Pulivendula Assembly segment as his mother Vijaya Lakshmi also resigned.
News On AIR | April 11, 2011 11:50 AM
Campaigning for Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala ends today