Single-phase polling for 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu is being held tomorrow. The electoral authorities have made arrangements for trouble free voting by 5.50 crore eligible voters in about 61 thousand polling stations in the state.
Polling will begin at 7 AM and close at 6 PM. DGP (Elections) Anoop Jaiswal said 1.47 lakh police personnel would be on security duty.
845 candidates,including 55 women aspirants are testing their fortunes. Prominent among them are former union ministers Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, T R Baalu and S Jagatrakshakan and T K S Elangovan from DMK, former Union minister Mani Shankar Iyer of Congress, PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss and his NDA ally Vaiko of MDMK. Chennai South is having the highest number of 42 candidates.
The election would put to litmus test the capabilities of ruling AIADMK, and its arch rival DMK and also that of BJP, which hopes of riding the so-called Modi wave to make a mark after drawing a blank in two previous polls.
DMK has taken local players like VCK, MMK, IUML and Puthiya Tamizhagam on board in its Democratic Progressive
Alliance (DPA) in an apparent bid to net minority and Dalit votes and challenge AIADMK. According to analysts this election is crucial for both Dravidian outfits with the next Assembly polls due in just two years.
BJP, which has managed to stitch up a six-party 'rainbow' alliance, roping in cine star-turned-politician Vijayakant's DMDK and also PMK among others, expects the combine to pose a hurdle for AIADMK and DMK in some constituencies, having presented a third alternative.
Our correspondent adds that the five and a half crore voters in Tamil Nadu have been given a lot of options to choose their favourites this time.
The regional rivalry between the AIADMK and the DMK may be at the highest in the field but still the familiar visit of Narendra Modi appearing with alliance leaders seeks to create a difference.
Though the adventure of the Congress in contesting the polls alone will test its strength in the battle ground, the Aam Admi Party can't be ignored. Will it be a clear verdict or will the voters give a chance for post-poll alliances remains to be seen.
