TN polls: 40.39 pc voter turnout till 1:30 pm

Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 40.39 per cent till 1:30 pm on Tuesday in single-phase of the state Assembly polls, according to the Election Commission (EC).

The district-wise polling record shows that Colachel recorded 31.63 per cent, while Kanniyakumari registered 32.20 per cent. Moreover, Killiyoor recorded 36.57 per cent, Nagercoil recorded 36.58 per cent and Padmanabhapuram recorded 33.42 per cent voter turnout.

A total of 3,998 candidates are in the poll fray in a single phase. In order to combat the COVID-19 spread, the number of polling stations has been increased to 88,937.

Tamil Nadu is witnessing a fierce battle between arch-rivals All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and DMK. MK Stalin-led DMK, which is out of power since 2011 in the state, is in a head-to-head battle with the ruling AIADMK in nearly 130 constituencies.AIADMK is contesting the poll in a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). PMK and BJP are contesting in 23 and 20 constituencies respectively in the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly while the AIADMK has fielded its candidates for the rest of the seats.While the DMK has allotted 25 seats to its Congress party, and six each for CPI, CPI (M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Vaiko's Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).In the 2016 assembly elections, the AIADMK won 134 seats, the DMK bagged 80 seats and Congress managed to secure only 8 seats. The BJP drew a blank. In 2019, the DMK-led front had won 37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu in the general elections.

( With inputs from ANI )