Barring stray incidents, polling ends peacefully in TN

Though there were 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State, elections are being held only for 38 seats after the Election Commission (EC) rescinded the polling for the Vellore seat following seizure of large amount of cash.

Simultaneous polling was also held for the 18 of 22 vacant Assembly seats in the state, that would decide the fortunes of the ruling AIADMK, whose stability hinges on the outcome of the polls. The bypoll for the remaining four seats would be held on May 19.

Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters that about 70.90 per cent of the 5.84 crore voters (earlier 5.99 crore but came down after Vellore polls were cancelled) have cast their ballots to decide the fate of 822 candidates, including 63 women, in fray for the 38 Lok Sabha seats.

The poll percentage in 2014 LS polls was 73.68 per cent.

He said 71.62 per cent voters in 18 Assembly seats, where by polls were held, decided the fate of 269 candidates, including 27 women.

While the polling ended 1800 hrs in 37 seats, in Madurai, it was extended by two hours in view of the annual Chithirai festival and it ended at 2000 hrs.

Mr Sahoo said polling began in a total of 66,167 booths and ended peacefully.

He said the final percentage would be known around 2200 hrs as polling was still on in several booths after issuing tokens to those who arrived before the closing time of 1800hrs and in Madurai it was extended by two hours.

However, police sources said stray incidents were reported at Ariyalur village coming under Chidambaram (R) LS constituency, at Arakkonam, where para-military forces opened fire in the air to disperse unruly mob and in Kanniyakumari LS constituency were five BJP workers were injured in a clash after the polling ended.

Nearly 20 houses, besides vehicles were attacked and damaged in a post-poll clash between two groups, at Ariyalur village following which heavy police pickets were posted in the area, as tension mounted.

In Keezhvisaram village near Arcot coming under Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituency trouble broke near a polling booth after the polling time forcing para-military forces to open fire in the air to disperse an unruly mob.

For the first time, 156 mentally-retarded and mentally ill inmates of Institute of Mental Health exercised their franchise in the polls, marking an historic moment in Tamil Nadu's electoral politics.

The EC, after getting President Ram Nath Kovind's nod, rescinded the polling to Vellore Lok Sabha seat (where 23 candidates have filed their papers), following seizure of a large amount of cash allegedly meant for distribution to the voters.

DMK Treasurer and former Minister Duraimurugan's son Kathir Anand is the DMK candidate and is pitted against New Justice Party (NJP) Founder A C Shanmugham, who is fielded as part of the AIADMK-BJP led Front.

However, said bypolls to Gudiyatham and Ambur Assembly seats, coming under Vellore LS seat was held as scheduled.

Mr Shanmugham and an Independent moved the High Court against the EC order, but their pleas were dismissed.

More than the Lok Sabha polls, the bypoll to 18 Assembly seats is more crucial for the stability of the AIADMK government, and the party has to win a good number of seats to ensure a simple majority in the 234 member House.

The elections is witnessing a four-cornered contest between the AIADMK-BJP led Front, that comprises PMK, DMDK, Puthiya Tamilagam, Tamil Maanila Congress and New Justice Party, the Opposition DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) that included Congress, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, VCK, KMDK and IJK, the AMMK and the nascent Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) of actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan.

The AMMK and MNM are facing elections for the first time, though the main fight is between the two dravidian majors AIADMK and the DMK, who are contesting 20 Lok Sabha seats each and has allotted the remaining seats to their allies.

Since AMMK is not a registered party, the Supreme Court had ruled that their candidates, if elected, will be treated as Independents.

Both the AIADMK and the DMK are facing the elections for the first time without their tall leaders and former Chief Ministers J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, who died in December 2016 and August 2018, respectively.

The AIADMK had won three successive elections starting from 2011 Assembly polls and followed it up with a thumping win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, where Ms Jayalalithaa single handedly won 37 seats, and later emulated her political mentor MGR by guiding AIADMK for a second successive term in the 2016 Assembly polls.

Prominent candidates whose fates were sealed in the polls included senior AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai (Karur), Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, who is seeking relection from Kanniyakumari facing H Vasanth Kumar (Congress), late DMK Chief Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi, who is pitted against BJP State unit President Ms Tamilisai Soundararajan in Tuticorin, former Union Ministers T R Baalu (Sriperumbudur), Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris-R), S S Palanimanickam (Thanjavur), S Jagathratchagan--all DMK--and PMK's A K Moorthy (both Arakkonam), Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's son P Raveendranath Kumar (Theni), K Ponmudy's son Gowtham Sigamani (Kallakurichi), Arcot N Veerasamy's son Dr Kalanidhi Veerasamy (North Chennai), former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram, who would be facing BJP National Secretary H Raja in Sivaganga, former TNCC President Su Thirunavukkarasar (Tiruchy), sitting MP and former Union Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss of PMK (Dharmapuri), DMDK founder and actor-politician Vijakanth's brother-in-law L K Sudeesh (Kallakurichi), VCK Founder Thol Thirumavalavan (Chidambaram-R), Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar's son Dr J Jayvardhan, seeking re-election from Chennai South, PT Founder Dr K Krishnasamy (Tenkasi-R).