Voting is underway in Tamil Nadu’s high-stakes assembly election, testing Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s bid for a second term amid a multi-cornered contest.
TAMIL NADU: Voting is underway across India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu.
More than 57 million voters are casting ballots in a high-stakes assembly election that will test Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s bid for a second term.
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) faces a strong challenge from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and emerging contender Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Long queues were seen outside polling stations early Thursday.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, AIADMK chief E.K. Palaniswami and TVK leader Vijay were among the early voters.
The DMK is allied with the Congress party for this election.
The AIADMK has partnered with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP has been seeking to expand its presence in southern states such as Tamil Nadu through regional alliances.
Tamil Nadu is voting in a single phase for all 234 assembly constituencies. Votes from this and other state elections will be counted on May 4.
Polling is also taking place on Thursday in 152 of West Bengal’s 294 constituencies. A fierce contest is under way there between the Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the BJP.
The remaining West Bengal seats will be contested on April 29. Polling in Kerala, Assam and the federally governed territory of Puducherry concluded on April 9.
The elections have been overshadowed by controversy surrounding a voter roll revision. The Election Commission says the Special Intensive Revision is required to “maintain the integrity of the electoral roll” by accounting for migration and deaths.
Critics, however, say the exercise has omitted many valid voters from minority religious communities and weaker sections of society.
