Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], April 26 : Appealing to the voters to come out and cast their votes in large numbers in phase 2 of Lok Sabha polls, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday said that it is an important day for "future of Thiruvananthapuram" as the constituency has witnessed "very little progress in the last 15-20 years."
BJP leader Chandrasekhar faces a stiff challenge from the former diplomat and senior Congress leader Tharoor, who is seeking a third term in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.
"Since the last 15-20 years, there has been very little progress in Thiruvananthapuram and in the lives of many people who are suffering from many problems that have not been solved. I request all of you to come out and vote today. This is an important day, not just for democracy, but for the future of Thiruvananthapuram and the future of your own families and children. It is something that we all must take seriously. Voting is a fundamental duty of every citizen and I hope everybody comes out and votes for change," Chandrasekhar told ANI.
Earlier this morning, Chandrasekhar also visited Padmanabhasamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
The CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has fielded CPI leader Pannyan Raveendran from the constituency, who won the seat in 2005.
While the BJP has never won a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the party registered a victory in the Thiruvananthapuram district just once, with O Rajagopal winning the Nemom assembly seat in 2016.
Voting began at 7 am on Friday in all 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala along with 88 constituencies across 13 states and union territories for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls 2024.
The Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases till June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4. ANI)