Live Thoothukudi Election Results 2024: Kanimozhi Vs Sivasamy Velumani

Initial trends hint at the ruling DMK and its allies winning the lion's share of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats with main opposition AIADMK and the BJP putting up a good fight in a number of segments. Chief Minister M K Stalin-led party's star candidates Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), T R Baalu (Sriperumbudur), Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), Tamizhachi Thangapandian (South Chennai) are leading in their respective constituencies.

The counting of votes polled in the April 19 Lok Sabha elections to 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu began at 8 AM across the state on Tuesday. Counting began amid a heavy police security in all of the 39 counting centres. Postal ballots were taken up first.

As many as 950 candidates are in the fray in the 39 Lok Sabha segments in the state, which had a voter turnout of 69.72 per cent in the April 19 single-phase election in Tamil Nadu.

DMK's Kanimozhi is vying for her second term as the representative of the Thoothukudi constituency.

The Thoothukudi Lok Sabha constituency has six Assembly segments - Vilathikulam, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Srivaikuntam, Ottapidaram (Reserved), and Kovilapatti. Out of these, the DMK and its allies secured victories in five constituencies in the 2021 state Assembly elections, while the AIADMK clinched the Kovilpatti seat. The constituency boasts a total of 14,58,030 electors, comprising 7,13,388 males, 7,44,826 females, and 216 others.

Kanimozhi, the daughter of DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi and half-sibling of incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin, entered the political in the 2019 general elections and scored a decisive victory over BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan. However, Soundararajan has since shifted her focus to the Chennai South constituency after relinquishing her role as Governor.

Political pundits say that securing a second consecutive win may not be a tough challenge for Kanimozhi. She faces competition from AIADMK candidate R Sivasamy Velumani, who operates the Puttur Bone and Joint Fracture Treatment Centre in Chennai, and TMC candidate SDR Vijayaseelan, backed by the BJP.

A two-time Rajya Sabha member, Kanimozhi is seeking reelection from the Thoothukudi seat in Tamil Nadu amidst a pool of 27 other candidates. In the 2019 elections, she emerged victorious over BJP rival Tamilisai Soundararajan by a margin of over 3.47 lakh votes, securing a total of 5,63,143 votes.