00:00Shibimol KG is joining me first from Keralam. Let's go across to that.
00:04Also, Ashutosh is joining us.
00:07Piyush is joining us from Guwahati. I correct myself here.
00:10So let's go across first to Shibimol.
00:12Shibimol, you've had a hectic campaign reporting.
00:15But it's happy to know, isn't it, that over 60% is a good number, I would say,
00:20because even in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, we have had like 40 to 50% by about 3 p
00:25.m.
00:25What are you hearing? Is this on the ground reflective one of the long queues?
00:30Who do you see more? Are women also in these long queues as voters?
00:39It's mostly women voters that have come out in huge numbers.
00:43Unfortunately, the polling booth where I'm right now had a lot of women earlier.
00:46But right now, it's a bit empty because 3 to 4, we're seeing a very low turnout
00:50compared to what we saw in the morning.
00:527 to 10, yes, we expected a huge turnout.
00:56But later on, you know, it was very surprising that, you know,
00:59there were long queues outside polling booths at around in between 10 to 12,
01:03which is a peak heat, you know, a peak heat time.
01:06And still there were many people who had come out to vote.
01:08So mostly we're seeing women voters coming out to vote.
01:11Also, the young voters, there are a lot of first-time voters
01:15who had come out in huge numbers to cast their vote.
01:17But mostly it was the women voters, not just in,
01:20I'm in Thiruvanthibur, not just in Thiruvanthibur, but across the state.
01:23When we look at the visuals, it's the women voters that had come out
01:25in large numbers to cast their vote.
01:28But we are understanding that it's at 62% by 3 p.m.,
01:31so three more hours to go, which means it is likely to cross 70.
01:35Very easily it will cross 70.
01:37And in the evening time, once there's a relief from this heat,
01:41there will be more people turning up at the polling booth.
01:45And also, the political parties here closely watching
01:49which district is recording the higher polling percentage.
01:51Because if you see the 14 districts, if you take a look at the 14 districts,
01:55there are certain districts that gives an edge to one particular party.
01:58So we've seen a lot of urban voters coming out.
02:00Very important point.
02:01Unlike the usual scenario, there's a lot of urban voters coming out in huge numbers.
02:06It's always rural voters that come out in huge numbers.
02:09Shibimol, do you see the youth, I want to know that among the Malayalis
02:13who have come out in early morning, through the day,
02:16they may be having possibly a nap time right now,
02:18but among them, are there young men and women from Keralam
02:23who have come out to exercise their franchise?
02:30Oh, well, definitely.
02:31There were a lot of youngsters who came out to vote
02:33and most of them voicing their opinions also very strongly,
02:36saying that our vote is for development, our vote is for a person.
02:41Some of us are voting for a party or an ideology that we strongly believe in.
02:45So various opinions also were heard from different youngsters who came out to vote.
02:48There were a lot of activities taken out by the Election Commissioner also
02:52to ensure that the young voters, because of course the older voters
02:55are politically more aware than the younger voters,
02:58is a perception that's out there.
02:59So if there's any sort of, you know, that where if there's any sort of lacking,
03:03the Election Commission also ensured that a lot of campaigns were taken out
03:07to vote the Gen C voters, because they are the ones who are going to decide
03:10whether a lot of Gen C voters are voting this time for the election.
03:14So their votes, they have a say, their votes are very, very important.
03:18So whoever is watching and is not, cast their vote,
03:20please do come out and cast your vote, because everything counts.
03:23And interestingly, there are many constituents in Kerala,
03:25this time we're witnessing a triangular contest with the CPIM, BJP and the Congress.
03:29In those constituencies, especially in urban areas, we're seeing a higher voter turnout,
03:33which shows that there is a very tight contest taking place with each party,
03:37ensuring that all their vote reaches the polling booth on time itself.
03:42From the southern state, I want to now go to the northeast.
03:46Assam, absolutely fantastic, 75.91% by the time the clock's touching 4pm.
03:53Piyush is there.
03:54Piyush, what kind of an atmosphere, sentiment do you see on the ground?
03:57If it's 75 right now, I believe by the time it wraps up, it might as well cross 85%.
04:06Well, no doubt about it, and Pooja, when we reached today in the morning at a polling booth,
04:12we saw a long queue at 6am itself, and the main reason here is that in northeast,
04:18sun rises early, at 4am you start seeing a faint of sunlight,
04:23and this is a normal day in Assam, where sun rises early,
04:29and because of that, the usual work of the day also starts early,
04:34and that's why people start gathering there at a polling booth in large number,
04:38and that's what we witnessed at 6am when we reached there at the polling booth,
04:42and so far, more than 75% have cast their vote,
04:46and like you rightly mentioned, that yes, it is most likely to cross the percentage of 85%.
04:51Last time in assembly elections, around 83% voting had taken place.
04:56At the time, we had seen how support was extended to BJP,
05:00but it was not able to form government on its own.
05:03It took help of ND allies, but this time, BJP is very confident,
05:07and when we are talking to a few BJP leaders on this huge turnout,
05:12many of them are saying that people are believing in the government.
05:16What do you think are the issues, because this is where the border issue,
05:19the infiltration, Bangladeshi, all of these were important in key words.
05:24Is that a bigger focus, do you think, for voters on the ground?
05:27Is it development, local issues that are of prime importance?
05:30What are you picking up as a sentiment on the ground?
05:36Well, the biggest sentiment is about the death of Zubin Gurg,
05:40and that is resonating among the Gen Z.
05:43And as far as people who are Zen X,
05:47they are of the view that the government has worked in the last few years.
05:53Women especially are really happy about the kind of money transfers
05:57that have taken place in their account.
05:59And they are, you know, they are also demanding that more work needs to be done
06:05in the outer region of Assam.
06:07Yes, infiltration is a big issue, and people are really agitated with the fact
06:11that a lot of infiltration has happened.
06:14But at the same time, they are also not happy that the kind of claims
06:18those BJP government has made, that yes, it is going to throw them out,
06:21all infiltrators will be thrown out, that has not been done.
06:25And so, they are hopeful that if BJP informs the government,
06:28actions will be taken against infiltrators.
06:30And this is a sentiment which is not there only among the Hindu community,
06:33but also in Assamese Muslim community.
06:36They are also frustrated, and they are not happy with the infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims.
06:41That's important, because eventually everyone wants safety and security.
06:46Piyush and Shibimol, thank you for getting these updates,
06:49and through the day, we'll keep coming back to you.
06:50But I have to say something here.
06:52I hope Delhi and Mumbai and its public are watching this right now.
06:56So much focus, even in our news bulletins, are on Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru.
07:01And look at how these cities, otherwise, from Kerala, from Assam, Puducheri,
07:0672%, 75%, over 60% have already come out to cast their vote.
07:11That's how you decide the leader, and then you get a right to complain as well.
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