Chennai, Apr 23 (PTI) Voters flocked to over 75,000 polling booths across Tamil Nadu on Thursday to elect a member of their choice for the state assembly in a triangular fight involving the ruling DMK, AIADMK and actor-politician Vijay’s TVK, which is making serious attempts at denting the votebank of the established Dravidian majors.
Going by the Election Commission of India (EC) statistics, brisk polling was witnessed across 234 Assembly seats, with nearly 38 per cent of the 5.73 crore voters exercising their franchise by 11 am, the first fours of voting.
The key contenders for power are the ruling DMK and main opposition AIADMK while actor-politician Vijay-led TVK and Tamil nationalist Seeman-led NTK are putting up a determined fight.
Top leaders and celebrities arrived early at booths in Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore and Madurai among other cities to cast their votes, as the polling began at 7 am after EC officials successfully conducted mock polling.
Till 11 am, 37.56 per cent of the 5.73 crore strong electorate cast their votes, with young and old enthusiastically turning up at the pollin stations to perform their democratic duty.
Both DMK president M K Stalin and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, who lead the SPA and NDA, respectively, exuded confidence of winning the elections, one of the hardest fought ones.
The chief minister, who cast his vote along with his wife Durga and son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi at the SIET college polling station here said, “Tamil Nadu will win.” Apparently, he was referring to his often-repeated remark of the present poll battle being a “contest between the Tamil Nadu team and Delhi team.” “I have cast my vote. Similarly, all the people of Tamil Nadu must perform their democratic duty without fail,” he told PTI.
He added with his raised fist, “Tamil Nadu will win.
In Salem, Palaniswami exuded confidence that his party would return to power.
Speaking to reporters after exercising his franchise in Siluvampalayam in the district, the AIADMK general secretary said people should turn up in large numbers and fulfill their democratic obligation today.
Stalin (Chennai), Palaniswami, veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, former Telangana governor and BJP candidate Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and NTK top leader Seeman were among the early voters and they cast their votes in Salem, Sivaganga and Chennai respectively.
Actors Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar cast their votes in the city. Also, actor-politician and TVK founder Vijay cast his vote at a private school here.
Union Minister L Murugan stood in a serpentine queue and cast his vote in Chennai. Similarly, BJP leader Kushbhu along with her filmmaker husband Sundar C voted in the city. Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik voted at Virugambakkam, which falls under Maduravoyal Assembly constituency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the people to take part enthusiastically in “this sacred duty of democracy.” “I urge the youth and the women of Tamil Nadu in particular to come out and vote in record numbers,” he said in a post on ‘X.’ Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to the voters to elect a government that “worked towards the fulfilment of their aspirations, not one that works for the ambitions of its own family.” BJP former national president J P Nadda, while asking the TN people to strengthen the democratic process through their participation, said on ‘X’: “Tamil Nadu is suffering from rampant corruption and violence. Once a land of sages, it is now facing a cultural identity crisis. I am certain that the people of Tamil Nadu will elect a government that ensures development and culture progress together. Cast your vote and inspire others to do the same.” AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, actor-politician and MNM founder Kamal Haasan accompanied by his daughter Shruti Haasan, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth, PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, too exercised their franchise in Chennai. Also, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai cast his vote. BJP former state president K Annamalai voted in Coimbatore.
A number of other political leaders and actors, among others, cast their votes in various parts of the state.
The fortunes of 4,023 candidates will be decided in 75,064 polling stations in 33,133 locations.
The total electorate comprises 2.93 crore women, 2.83 crore men, and 7,728 third-gender persons.
The Election Commission has deployed 1,06,418 ballot units along with 75,064 control units and VVPAT machines.
To prevent any technical delays, a reserve of 20 per cent for EVMs and 30 per cent for VVPATs is being maintained, according to officials. To ensure peaceful polling, 300 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed, alongside 83,875 state police personnel.
Tamil Nadu has 14,59,039 first-time voters and 3,98,513 electors aged 85 years and above and many of them had already utilised the home voting facility. Over 3.60 lakh government staff are on polling duty.
For ease of voting, election authorities have said that amenities, including drinking water, toilets, help desk, ramps with proper gradient and volunteer and wheelchair facilities have been provided.
Officials strictly enforced the ban against taking cellphones and smartwatches inside the polling room.
In Chennai, the BJP staged a protest accusing the ruling DMK of trying to influence voters by displaying party symbol, the Rising Sun. BJP leader and Coimbatore North candidate, Vanathi Srinivasan accused the ruling party of money distribution in her constituency.
Meanwhile, Vijay requested the EC to extend polling by two hours till 8 PM. The scheduled closure is 6 pm.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, he also urged for deployment of emergency public transport services to facilitate a large number of people to cast their votes.
“There are reports from polling stations of voters waiting in long queues to cast their votes, but the polling process is slow. Such delays would discourage and may affect voter turnout. There should be designated supervisory officers to visit polling booths regularly and ensure that the voting process is conducted efficiently without unnecessary delays,” he said.
In the elections the DMK, which heads the Secular Progressive Alliance, is seeking to retain power, and is leading a multi-party coalition that includes Congress, Left parties and the VCK. The AIADMK, heading the National Democratic Alliance, on the other hand, is pushing for a return to power with allies BJP, AMMK and PMK, among others, in tow.
Actor Vijay-led TVK is attempting to break the decades long tradition of DMK and AIADMK alternatively ruling the state and form its government. PTI VGN JR SNR JSP KH SA
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