Tamakkal district recorded the highest turnout at 19.83% and Nilgiris district the lowest (15.54%), with a total of 17.69% of the over 57.3 million eligible voters who voted till 9 am in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on Thursday.
Prime Minister M K Stalin and his family, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader, Edappadi K Palaniswami, superstar Rajinikanth, actor-politician Kamal Haasan, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay were among the early voters. Stalin appealed to people to come out in large numbers and vote.
As many as 4,023 candidates are competing in the elections, including 443 women. Karur constituency has the highest number of contestants with 79 contestants. Sholinganallur constituency has the highest number of voters (5,36,991) and Harbor the least (1,16,896).
The state transport department on Wednesday announced the deployment of 6,234 additional buses and three special railway trains to facilitate voting.
The contest is primarily between the ruling secular Progressive Alliance led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting 27 of the 234 seats as part of the NDA. TVK hopes to emerge as a third force in the state.
Stalin is contesting from Kolattur (Chennai) where he hopes to return to power. His son and deputy Udhayanidhi are in the poll battle from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni. Palaniswami is contesting from Edappadi in Salem district, Vijay from Perambur (Chennai), East Tiruchirappalli, and former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) from Bodinayakannur.
