Polling begins in Tamil Nadu amid tight security

Chennai, May 8: Polling began in Tamil Nadu this morning for the single phase election in all 234 Assembly constituencies, with an electorate of over 4.63 crore set to cast their votes amid unprecedented security arrangements.

Today's poll will decide the fate of several heavyweights, including Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa (Andipatti), DMK president M Karunanidhi (Chepauk), DMK deputy general secretary M K Stalin (Thousand Lights), actor Vijayakanth (Vriddhachalam) and several state Ministers.

A total electorate of 4,63,61,952, including 2,33,61,801 women, will exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 2,586 candidates -- 2,426 men and 160 women.

The ruling AIADMK, heading the Democratic People's Alliance (DPA), has put up the highest number of 182 candidates, leaving 52 seats to its allies -- MDMK (35), Dalit Panthers of India (9), two each to the Indian National League and a faction of Congress trade union wing INTUC, one each to JD(S), an IUML splinter group, Moovender Munnetra Kazhagam and AIFB's Santhanam faction.

The DMK is contesting 129 seats, leaving 48 seats to Congress, 31 to PMK, 13 to CPI-M, ten to CPI and three to IUML. This is the second time the DMK is contesting such low number of seats.

While the BJP is contesting 180 seats, Vijaykant's Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) is testing the political waters in all 234 constituencies. A record number of 1,222 independents are also in the fray. A thick blanket of security has been thrown around the state to ensure peaceful conduct of the polls, with a record number of 196 companies of para-military forces, including armed forces, being deployed near polling stations.

Nearly three lakh personnel, drafted from Central and state governments, public sector undertakings and local bodies, have been pressed into poll duty.

The total number of polling stations stand at 51,534 with 3,300 booths identified as sensitive. As many as 66,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used for the polling. Authorities have also printed 11,99,200 ballot papers.

In some polling booths, ramps have been laid to help physically challenged voters visit the booths with ease and exercise their franchise.

In the city, braille ballot papers have been made available to help visually challenged voters cast their votes without the assistance of any person.

Though multi-cornered contest is being witnessed in most of the 234 constituencies, the main battle is between the fronts led by the AIADMK and the DMK.

UNI

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