Tamil Nadu sees steady turnout as polling remains largely peaceful
Polling continued smoothly across Tamil Nadu on Thursday, with nearly 70% voter turnout recorded by 3 pm, according to officials.
Authorities said the voting process remained largely peaceful, with only minor issues such as technical glitches in electronic voting machines and limited facilities for differently abled voters reported from some areas.
The state’s electorate of over 5.73 crore voters is casting ballots at more than 75,000 polling stations, with over 4,000 candidates contesting for seats in the 234-member Assembly.
High-stakes contest with familiar faces and new entrants
The election has drawn significant attention, featuring a mix of experienced leaders and first-time candidates.
Chief Minister M. K. Stalin is leading the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance in its bid to retain power, while Edappadi K. Palaniswami heads the campaign for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance.
Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi Stalin has emerged as a prominent face of the party’s next generation, and actor-turned-politician Vijay is contesting his first election.
Direct fight between DMK and AIADMK alliances
The main contest remains between the DMK-led bloc and the AIADMK-led alliance, which is seeking a political comeback.
The DMK and its allies have fielded candidates in 164 constituencies, including several new faces in seats the party had lost in the previous election.
Counting scheduled for May 4
Voting is set to conclude at 6 pm, after which electronic voting machines will be transported to designated counting centres across the state.
The results of the closely fought election will be announced on May 4.
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