Kerala: After din, silent leg work
Poll campaign ends with rallies by supporters of various parties
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The election campaign in the city came to a spirited end with rallies by the supporters of all political parties culminating at selected common points to flaunt their side’s strength.
The major meeting points of wards such as East Fort, Karmana, Poojapura, Thampanoor and Vazhuthacaud witnessed high-spirited celebrations causing traffic snarls for about 30 minutes.
A slight tension arose as BJP and CPM activists converged at Peroorkada which traditionally is the most happening zone for campaign conclusions.
While most candidates preferred to stand atop hired pickup trucks, a few had got open jeeps. Vazhuthacaud CPI candidate Rakhi was seen precariously standing on the boot of a sedan waving to people.
The UDF’s celebrity candidate Veena Nair took to the streets riding pillion on a motorcycle. The supporters competed in shouting as loudspeakers played parody numbers praising their leaders.
At Poojapura junction, the BJP and CPM revellers stalled trucks and jubilantly danced waving flags and cutouts of candidates giving the police some hard time. Congress workers in the same vicinity chose to wave flags standing at corners.
At 5 p.m., policemen with whistles dispersed the revellers as per the election commission norms and cleared the bottlenecks at Thampanoor and East Fort.
As per traffic officials, the traffic density was comparatively low as many motorists kept off the road. Still snarls were experienced on NH bypass at Kazhakoottam- Enchakkal, at Parassala and almost all main junctions on Karama- Kaliyikkavila highway.