God's own country all set to vote

After more than a month of spirited election campaigning, Kerala is just hours away from reaching the election booth. The blue ink deftly smeared on the finger is not just a mark of vote, but is a testimony of the country’s democratic ethos. Friday marks the second phase of the general election to the 18th Lok Sabha.

More than 2 crore Malayalis are expected to cast their vote on Friday. The festival of democracy will unfurl its true colours on this day while the results will be out only on June 4.

Cases of booth capturing and attacks have already made headlines during the first phase of elections. These cases of political roguery and last-ditch attempts to sway voters are seen across the country but such incidents are an enigma to Kerala, where these are reported paltry. Polling in Kerala is generally considered a peaceful process. Elections are not an occasion for violence or subversion but are a rational exercise to cast a vote.

Accusations and controversies came back to haunt candidates in this election season too. Some accusations rocked the political scenario and touched the nadir tossing the basic dignity. In the final hours before voting, some will go for the ideology while others will be influenced by the personality cult irrespective of the political party. However, it will be wise to go with your conscience rather than fall for the glitzy promises and fear-mongering by political parties.

It is no secret that apart from political principles and the candidate's personality, religion and caste are vital factors that call the shot in the final hours. It is also public that the selection of candidates in many constituencies will be influenced by such factors. Beyond local and relatively trivial issues, the general election will focus mostly on the country's general development, governance stability and economic progress. Along with that, the candidate's background, work history and administrative capacity should be the subject of the voter's analysis