The democratic festival has officially kicked off today as Assam, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry head to the polls. In a crucial political showdown, all three regions are undergoing voting in a single phase that commenced this Thursday morning.

The electoral battle covers 126 seats in Assam, 180 in Kerala, and 130 in Puducherry. Simultaneously, by-elections are being held for one seat each in Karnataka, Nagaland, and Tripura. Early morning highlights saw Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan casting his vote at a primary school in Kannur, while former Puducherry CM V. Narayanasamy was also spotted at the polling booth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to urge citizens to exercise their franchise. He particularly called upon the youth and women voters to participate in record numbers to strengthen democracy. The fate of the candidates is being locked in EVMs today, with the final verdict set to be announced on May 4, alongside the results for West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.