For the first time in a century, Thressiamma Chacko is all set to caste her maiden vote in the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls due to be held on May 16.

Chosen as Kannur’s poll mascot, centenarian Thressiamma  -a native of Kolakkad- has  witnessed many a election, but has never been inspired enough to vote in any one of them till date.

She was more tied up in an unending struggle to make both ends meet right from a very young age in a bid to support her family.

But then not everyone gets to live a hundred years. So when she crossed even this milestone in her life, Thressiamma surprised one and all by expressing a desire to cast her vote for the first time in the coming polls.

The district administration was quick to respond and came up with a novel idea of presenting her as a mascot so as to woo voters and inspire them to exercise their franchise.

Thressiamma -who lives with her son Johny- had recently applied for a voters' identity card at a government Akshaya centre at Kolakkad.

District Collector P Bala Kiran himself took the initiative of handing over the voter identity card to her at her residence on Thursday. “She is very active even at this age and is really keen to exercise her franchise. She will be an inspiration to all voters in the upcoming polls,” Bala Kiran told PTI.

The district administration officials also imparted a few lessons to her on how to use the voting machine.

Thressiamma will now cast her vote at a polling booth in a school near her house, family sources say.

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