Tamil Nadu records nearly 72% voting in peaceful election

People turned up in droves at polling stations across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday to vote in the epic election to elect new generation leaders with nearly 72 per cent of registered voters exercising their franchise till 7 pm. After 6 pm, many Covid-19 patients, including DMK MP Kanimozhi, and AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan, arrived at polling stations in personal protective equipment (PPEs) to cast their votes.

The election was peaceful except for the alleged attack on DMK men by AIADMK workers in Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district where Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani is locked in an intense battle with jallikattu-fame Karthikeya Sivasenapathy.

The latest figure released said 71.79 per cent voters cast their votes with Chennai registering the lowest turnout of around 60 per cent and Kallakurichi in northern Tamil Nadu topping the list having polled 78 per cent. The provisional figure, which will be updated by April 7 morning. is less than the 74 per cent polling registered in 2016 assembly polls.

Details released by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) showed rural districts registering maximum participation from voters in the democratic exercise. The elections were held under the cloud of allegations of cash for votes.

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People began queuing up at 6.30 am to exercise their franchise in the first assembly election that Tamil Nadu is facing without its stalwarts M Karunanidhi, and J Jayalalithaa. Elaborate arrangements were made at all polling booths to check the body temperature of voters, and provide them with sanitiser and hand gloves before entering the polling booth.

DMK President M K Stalin was one of the early voters who exercised his franchise along with his son Udhayanidhi and other family members at SIET college in Teynampet.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami cast his vote at a school just opposite his ancestral house in Siluvampalayam in the Edappadi constituency in Salem district. His deputy O Panneerselvam voted in his native Theni district. MNM chief Kamal Haasan voted in Chennai and flew to Coimbatore to oversee polling in his assembly constituency.

While Stalin exuded confidence that DMK would be the winner on May 2, Palaniswami did not comment on the performance of his party by merely asking people to come and vote in large numbers.

Not just politicians, but top actors from the tinsel town also came out to vote this election. Popular actor Ajith was among the first to vote, while his contemporary Vijay made a dramatic entry by riding a bicycle to the polling station. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, who failed to keep his date with politics, exercised his democratic right, while V K Sasikala could not vote due to the deletion of her name from electoral rolls.

The day also AIADMK registering a complaint against Udhayanidhi, DMK youth wing chief and party candidate from Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni here, for wearing a shirt that prominently figure Rising Sun, the DMK's election symbol. BJP candidate from Coimbatore (South) Vanathi Srinivasan was also seen sporting a Lotus badge.