Campaigning at Vellore in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, actor-politician Vijay said that he firmly stands against corruption, which is why all political parties in the state are against his party TVK, which is making its debut in the Assembly Polls. "Everyone is opposing Vijay in this poll, as I am against corruption and bribery. The people of Tamil Nadu are standing strong with me. Vijay and the people are inseparable, like flesh and blood, like body and soul," said the actor-politician, who has not forged any political alliance so far.&nbsp; Referring to his party's newbie status in the political arena, Vijay stated that Tamil Nadu requires a situation-specific solution and that he could provide it.&nbsp;Challenging his political opponents, Vijay dared them to publicly declare their net worth before foraying into politics, and their present net worth. "How did you earn all this wealth? What work or business did you undertake? What is the source of your income? Have you earned because of hard work or because of loot? Can your real net worth be declared openly ?" Vijay, among India's highest-paid actors, asked.&nbsp;Speaking about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Vijay said that the DMK Chief was portraying the upcoming poll as a "Tamil Nadu Vs Delhi" battle or a "Tamil Nadu VS NDA(BJP and AIADMK)" battle. Disagreeing with that portrayal, Vijay said that the upcoming poll was going to be "Tamil Nadu VS Corruption; Tamil Nadu VS Stalin; and Vijay VS Stalin".&nbsp;Stepping up his attack on the Chief Minister, Vijay asked, “If you had a conscience, would you have blamed&nbsp;me for the Karur stampede? (at the TVK campaign event where 41 people lost their lives).”&nbsp;&nbsp;Citing the key priorities of his party, Vijay said that TVK would focus on the safety of women and children, strict law and order, top-quality government schools and colleges, a drug-free Tamil Nadu, the welfare of fishermen, farmers, truck, auto, and taxi drivers, among others. &nbsp;Expressing confidence about his party's poll prospects, Vijay assured his fans and supporters that he would tour all the villages and meet the people after his party comes to power.

Did your wealth come from hard work or loot? Actor-politician Vijay asks opponents

Campaigning at Vellore in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, actor-politician Vijay said that he firmly stands against corruption, which is why all political parties in the state are against his party TVK, which is making its debut in the Assembly Polls. "Everyone is opposing Vijay in this poll, as I am against corruption and bribery. The people of Tamil Nadu are standing strong with me. Vijay and the people are inseparable, like flesh and blood, like body and soul," said the actor-politician, who has not forged any political alliance so far. Referring to his party's newbie status in the political arena, Vijay stated that Tamil Nadu requires a situation-specific solution and that he could provide it. Challenging his political opponents, Vijay dared them to publicly declare their net worth before foraying into politics, and their present net worth. "How did you earn all this wealth? What work or business did you undertake? What is the source of your income? Have you earned because of hard work or because of loot? Can your real net worth be declared openly ?" Vijay, among India's highest-paid actors, asked. Speaking about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Vijay said that the DMK Chief was portraying the upcoming poll as a "Tamil Nadu Vs Delhi" battle or a "Tamil Nadu VS NDA(BJP and AIADMK)" battle. Disagreeing with that portrayal, Vijay said that the upcoming poll was going to be "Tamil Nadu VS Corruption; Tamil Nadu VS Stalin; and Vijay VS Stalin". Stepping up his attack on the Chief Minister, Vijay asked, “If you had a conscience, would you have blamed me for the Karur stampede? (at the TVK campaign event where 41 people lost their lives).” Citing the key priorities of his party, Vijay said that TVK would focus on the safety of women and children, strict law and order, top-quality government schools and colleges, a drug-free Tamil Nadu, the welfare of fishermen, farmers, truck, auto, and taxi drivers, among others. Expressing confidence about his party's poll prospects, Vijay assured his fans and supporters that he would tour all the villages and meet the people after his party comes to power.

Challenging his political opponents, Vijay dared them to publicly declare their net worth before foraying into politics, and their present net worth

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha Election Date: Indian political parties are gearing up to wrest power in Tamil Nadu, the southern state that voted in the Lok Sabha elections during phase one on Friday (Apr 19).

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha Election Date: Indian political parties are gearing up to wrest power in Tamil Nadu, the southern state that voted in the Lok Sabha elections during phase one on Friday (Apr 19). Tamil Nadu's political scene is challenging for national parties, but with its 39 seats, it's a crucial battleground that nobody wants to miss out on. When are the Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha Elections 2024? The 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in Tamil Nadu for all the seats are being held on the first day of polling on April 19. Tamil Nadu Phase 1: Date of polling - April 19 Tiruvallur Chennai North Chennai South Chennai Central Sriperumbudur Kancheepuram Arakkonam Vellore Krishnagiri Dharampuri Tiruvannnamalai Arani Viluppuram Kallakurichi Salem Namakkal Edore Tiruppur Nilgiris Coimbatore Pollachi Dindigul Karur Tiruchirappalli PErambalur Cuddalore Chidambaram Mayiladuthurai Nagapattinam Thankjavur Sivaganga Madurai Theni Virudhunagar Ramanathapuram THoothukkudi Tenkasi Tirunelveli Kanniyakumari How many phases are there for Tamil Nadu's elections? In the past, Tamil Nadu's Lok Sabha Elections finished quickly, but in 2019, the Election Commission held all elections for its seats in one go, making it the biggest single phase across all states. This pattern is repeating in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as all 39 seats will be concluded in just one phase. How many Lok Sabha seats does Tamil Nadu have? Positioned as the fifth state in terms of number of Lok Sabha seats, Tamil Nadu trails behind Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar, boasting a total of 39 seats. Among these, 32 seats are unreserved, while seven seats are reserved for SC candidates. In the 2019 elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance secured a sweeping victory by clinching 38 out of the 39 seats. Check out the complete list of elected members and constituencies from Tamil Nadu General Elections 2019: No Constituency Winner PARTY 1 Thiruvallur Dr. Jeyakumar INC 2 Chennai North Kalanidhi Veeraswamy DMK 3 Chennai South Thamizhachi Thangapandian DMK 4 Chennai Central Dayanidhi Maran DMK 5 Sriperumbudur T R Baalu DMK 6 Kancheepuram G. Selvam DMK 7 Arakkonam S. Jagathrakshakan DMK 8 Vellore D. M. Kathir Anand[a] DMK 9 Krishnagiri A. Chellakumar INC 10 Dharmapuri Dr. S. Senthil Kumar DMK 11 Tiruvannamalai Annadurai C N DMK 12 Arani Dr. M. K. Vishnu Prasad INC 13 Villupuram D. Ravikumar DMK 14 Kallakurichi Pon. Gautham Sigamani DMK 15 Salem S. R. Parthiban DMK 16 Namakkal A. K. P. Chinraj DMK 17 Erode A. Ganesha Murthi DMK 18 Tiruppur K. Subbarayan CPI 19 Nilgiris A Raja DMK 20 Coimbatore P.R. Natarajan CPIM 21 Pollachi K. Shamugasundaram DMK 22 Dindigul P. Veluchamy DMK 23 Karur S.Jothimani INC 24 Tiruchirappalli Su. Thirunavukkarasar INC 25 Perambalur T. R. Paarivendhar DMK 26 Cuddalore T.R.V.S. Ramesh DMK 27 Chidambaram Thol. Thirumavalavan VCK 28 Mayiladuthurai S. Ramalingam DMK 29 Nagapattinam M. Selvarasu CPI 30 Thanjavur S S Palanimanickam DMK 31 Sivaganga Karti P Chidambaram INC 32 Madurai S. Venkatesan CPIM 33 Theni P. Ravindhranath AIADMK 34 Virudhunagar Manickam Tagore INC 35 Ramanathapuram Navaskani IUML 36 Thoothukkudi Kanimozhi Karunanidhi DMK 37 Tenkasi Dhanush M Kumar DMK 38 Tirunelveli S. Gnanathiraviam DMK 39 Kanniyakumari H. Vasanthakumar INC Tamil Nadu List of candidates for 2024 The landscape for the 2024 General Elections in Tamil Nadu looks markedly different from that of 2019. This time, the DMK is aligned with the I.N.D.I.A alliance, whereas the NDA has lost the backing of the AIADMK, worsening their prospects in the Gateway of South India. List of candidates for Tamil Nadu General Elections 2024 No Constituency NDA I.N.D.I.A 1 Thiruvallur 2 Chennai North Kalanidhi Veerasami (DMK) 3 Chennai South Tamilachi Thangapandian (DMK) 4 Chennai Central Dayanidhi Maran (DMK) 5 Sriperumbudur T R Balu (DMK) 6 Kancheepuram K Selvam (DMK) 7 Arakkonam S Jagathrachahan (DMK) 8 Vellore Kadhir Anand (DMK) 9 Krishnagiri 10 Dharmapuri A Mani (DMK) 11 Tiruvannamalai C N Annadurai (DMK) 12 Arani Taranivedan (DMK) 13 Villupuram 14 Kallakurichi D Malayarasan (DMK) 15 Salem T M Selvaganapathi (DMK) 16 Namakkal 17 Erode K E Prakash (DMK) 18 Tiruppur 19 Nilgiris A Raja (DMK) 20 Coimbatore Ganapathi P Rajkumar (DMK) 21 Pollachi K Ishwarasamy (DMK) 22 Dindigul 23 Karur 24 Tiruchirappalli 25 Perambalur Arun Nehru (DMK) 26 Cuddalore 27 Chidambaram 28 Mayiladuthurai 29 Nagapattinam 30 Thanjavur Murasoli (DMK) 31 Sivaganga 32 Madurai 33 Theni Thanga Tamil Selvam (DMK) 34 Virudhunagar 35 Ramanathapuram 36 Thoothukkudi Kanimozhi (DMK) 37 Tenkasi Rani Sreekumar (DMK) 38 Tirunelveli 39 Kanniyakumari This page will be updated as and when lists of candidates and other details are announced. Click Here to get the latest updates of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Date, schedule, phase, seats, candidates and all you need to know

Residents of Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore city were in for a surprise when they witnessed a foreigner campaigning for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party for the urban body elections.

Negoita Stefan Marius, a Romanian national who is on a business trip to India, was seen draped in a red and black shawl (DMK party colours) and distributing propaganda pamphlets of the ruling party.

Marius was reportedly impressed with the schemes rolled by the DMK party, especially the free bus travel for women.

Videos of Marius riding&nbsp;a bike and distributing propaganda pamphlets went viral on social media, where he was hailed by the supporters of the ruling party.&nbsp;

In two separate clips, Stefan was purportedly seen roaming around Coimbatore without a face mask and endorsing Chief Minister MK Stalin.

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Thread: Romanian national on business Visa, Stefan Marius seen campaigning for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DMK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DMK</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LocalBodyElection?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LocalBodyElection</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coimbatore?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coimbatore</a> 
 
They say, he was impressed with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TNGovt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TNGovt</a> scheme to provide free bus passes for women, enabling free travel on Govt buses <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Politics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Politics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNews</a> 
 
(1/n) <a href="https://t.co/vQB9cp11I3">pic.twitter.com/vQB9cp11I3</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1494313374741839886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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However, the clips also caught the attention of the Indian immigration authorities who have called in Marius to explain his actions.

According to reports, the immigration authorities have sent a letter to Marius saying that he violated the Indian visa rules by campaigning for a political party.

They have asked the Romanian national to appear in-person at the Chennai office of the immigration department (Foreign Regional Registration office) with his original documents and offer an explanation by Friday (February 18) afternoon.

The letter mentions that if he fails to comply with the missive, he would be liable for prosecution under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

However, the authenticity of the letter could not be verified independently, as the officials&nbsp;concerned were not available for comments.

Residents of Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore city were in for a surprise when they witnessed a foreigner campaigning for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party for the urban body elections.

Residents of Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore city were in for a surprise when they witnessed a foreigner campaigning for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party for the urban body elections. Negoita Stefan Marius, a Romanian national who is on a business trip to India, was seen draped in a red and black shawl (DMK party colours) and distributing propaganda pamphlets of the ruling party. Marius was reportedly impressed with the schemes rolled by the DMK party, especially the free bus travel for women. Videos of Marius riding a bike and distributing propaganda pamphlets went viral on social media, where he was hailed by the supporters of the ruling party. In two separate clips, Stefan was purportedly seen roaming around Coimbatore without a face mask and endorsing Chief Minister MK Stalin. Thread: Romanian national on business Visa, Stefan Marius seen campaigning for #DMK in #LocalBodyElection in #Coimbatore They say, he was impressed with #TNGovt scheme to provide free bus passes for women, enabling free travel on Govt buses #Politics #India #TamilNews (1/n) pic.twitter.com/vQB9cp11I3 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) February 17, 2022 × However, the clips also caught the attention of the Indian immigration authorities who have called in Marius to explain his actions. According to reports, the immigration authorities have sent a letter to Marius saying that he violated the Indian visa rules by campaigning for a political party. They have asked the Romanian national to appear in-person at the Chennai office of the immigration department (Foreign Regional Registration office) with his original documents and offer an explanation by Friday (February 18) afternoon. The letter mentions that if he fails to comply with the missive, he would be liable for prosecution under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946. However, the authenticity of the letter could not be verified independently, as the officials concerned were not available for comments.

Romanian national in trouble for canvassing votes for ruling party in Tamil Nadu polls

In his first move as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin has signed five orders that are aimed at fulfilling some of his poll promises and COVID-19 relief measures.&nbsp;

As per the government, at the cost of INR 4153.39 cr to the state exchequer, INR 2,000 would be provided in the month of May as COVID-19&nbsp;relief for rice-card holders, which covers about 2.07cr families. This is the first installment of the COVID-19&nbsp;aid that was announced as a poll promise.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kamal-haasans-political-party-makkal-needhi-maiam-crumbles-sees-multiple-resignations-383333" hreflang="en">Kamal Haasan’s political party Makkal Needhi Maiam crumbles, sees multiple resignations</a>

In another measure announced to fulfill a poll promise, Aavin, the state-run milk producers union, has been asked to slash prices of milk by 3 rupees per litre in their retail outlets. This will be effective from May 16.&nbsp;

Stalin has also implemented free travel (without tickets) for all women including those pursuing higher education, working in government institutions and also in&nbsp;ordinary buses. The government would pay INR 1,200cr to the State Transport Corporation as a subsidy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mk-stalins-cabinet-to-have-33-ministers-his-son-not-included-only-2-women-383254" hreflang="en">MK Stalin’s cabinet to have 33 ministers; his son not included, only 2 women</a>

The state government would bear the costs of treatment for COVID-19&nbsp;patients incurred in private hospitals under the Chief Minster’s Healthcare scheme.

He has also signalled the formation of a new department headed by an IAS officer to solve the issues faced by the people. Stalin had collected grievances from people across the state during his tours and assured people of resolving them within 100 days of coming to power. This initiative would be called “Chief Minister in your Constituency”.&nbsp;

COVID-19 is expected to be the major challenge for the new administration, as experts predict that handling the situation over the next two months would be crucial for Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

After being sworn in at the Raj Bhavan by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Stalin headed for his late father and former Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi’s residence in Gopalapuram to pay his respects.

He turned emotional and was consoled by his sister Selvi.

At Raj Bhavan during the oath-taking, Stalin’s wife Durga too turned emotional on hearing her husband saying "I Muthuvel Karunanidhi…."&nbsp;while being administered the oath.

&nbsp;

In his first move as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin has signed five orders that are aimed at fulfilling some of his poll promises and COVID-19 relief measures.

In his first move as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin has signed five orders that are aimed at fulfilling some of his poll promises and COVID-19 relief measures. As per the government, at the cost of INR 4153.39 cr to the state exchequer, INR 2,000 would be provided in the month of May as COVID-19 relief for rice-card holders, which covers about 2.07cr families. This is the first installment of the COVID-19 aid that was announced as a poll promise. Also read | Kamal Haasan’s political party Makkal Needhi Maiam crumbles, sees multiple resignations In another measure announced to fulfill a poll promise, Aavin, the state-run milk producers union, has been asked to slash prices of milk by 3 rupees per litre in their retail outlets. This will be effective from May 16. Stalin has also implemented free travel (without tickets) for all women including those pursuing higher education, working in government institutions and also in ordinary buses. The government would pay INR 1,200cr to the State Transport Corporation as a subsidy. Also read | MK Stalin’s cabinet to have 33 ministers; his son not included, only 2 women The state government would bear the costs of treatment for COVID-19 patients incurred in private hospitals under the Chief Minster’s Healthcare scheme. He has also signalled the formation of a new department headed by an IAS officer to solve the issues faced by the people. Stalin had collected grievances from people across the state during his tours and assured people of resolving them within 100 days of coming to power. This initiative would be called “Chief Minister in your Constituency”. COVID-19 is expected to be the major challenge for the new administration, as experts predict that handling the situation over the next two months would be crucial for Tamil Nadu. After being sworn in at the Raj Bhavan by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Stalin headed for his late father and former Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi’s residence in Gopalapuram to pay his respects. He turned emotional and was consoled by his sister Selvi. At Raj Bhavan during the oath-taking, Stalin’s wife Durga too turned emotional on hearing her husband saying "I Muthuvel Karunanidhi…." while being administered the oath.

Tamil Nadu: MK Stalin signs five orders on poll promises, COVID-19 relief on day 1

In Tamil Nadu’s personality-cult dominated political landscape, image is everything and sometimes even imitations are accepted. For several decades, political parties have been hiring lookalike artists of actors and politicians during the campaign season. Dressed up like the stalwarts of the state’s political arena these artists sing and dance, deliver dialogues, imitate mannerisms, all for garnering votes.&nbsp;

With their make-up kits and tailored-to-perfection costumes, it just takes a few minutes for these artists to transform from their real to reel selves. As this is the first Assembly election in Tamil Nadu sans tall leaders Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, the artists representing these leaders are the most in-demand.&nbsp;

“Lookalikes do have an impact on voters minds. This time, since the stalwarts are not with us, the lookalikes have a bigger role to play. It rekindles the memories of the old times among the senior voters” says Jitu, a Madurai resident.

Working mostly in the evenings, these artists travel across the state and campaign for various parties, with some members even capable of donning multiple roles. However, the changing nature of politics itself and the digital campaigns, targeted advertising has significantly impacted their profession.&nbsp;

Cine Star Abinaya, a city-based troupe has about 20 artists, they play - MGR, Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Ajith, Vijay and many other personalities. There are even separate persons to represent the MGR in his trademark sunglass, white-cap Chief Minister avatar and also the funky-colored costume-wearing cine-star MGR.&nbsp;

During peak election season, an artist earns upto Rs 2000 per performance, but they say that work has become scarce these days, when compared to a decade ago.&nbsp;

“Post-election campaign some of us drive autos, some work as shopkeepers, but there are also a few of us who are fully time artists” says Saraa, who runs Cine Star Abinaya.

He adds that many cannot sustain this profession after a certain age, as they have to go perform until late in the evenings and often have their meals well after midnight, thus affecting health.&nbsp;

Eswaran who plays Rajinikanth and MK Stalin is a full-time performer with no other source of income. “During non-campaign season I perform at temple festivals, I can also sing, so that’s an added advantage” he says.&nbsp;

When asked about their routine and fitness regimen, the artists say that they have to maintain diet control and walk a few minutes every day to maintain their physique and ensure that they continue to resemble their starry avatars.

Speaking of their livelihoods and families, the artists say that they are able to make ends meet during election season, but that isn’t so after election work dries up. Their lament is that, politicians and parties need them the most during poll-time, but neglect them thereafter.&nbsp;

“When we wear those costumes and sing and dance on stage, while seeking votes, our woes disappear, but then the reel life ends and eventually we have to deal with real life” says Saraa.

In Tamil Nadu’s personality-cult dominated political landscape, image is everything and sometimes even imitations are accepted. For several decades, political parties have been hiring lookalike artists of actors and politicians during the campaign season.

In Tamil Nadu’s personality-cult dominated political landscape, image is everything and sometimes even imitations are accepted. For several decades, political parties have been hiring lookalike artists of actors and politicians during the campaign season. Dressed up like the stalwarts of the state’s political arena these artists sing and dance, deliver dialogues, imitate mannerisms, all for garnering votes. With their make-up kits and tailored-to-perfection costumes, it just takes a few minutes for these artists to transform from their real to reel selves. As this is the first Assembly election in Tamil Nadu sans tall leaders Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, the artists representing these leaders are the most in-demand. “Lookalikes do have an impact on voters minds. This time, since the stalwarts are not with us, the lookalikes have a bigger role to play. It rekindles the memories of the old times among the senior voters” says Jitu, a Madurai resident. Working mostly in the evenings, these artists travel across the state and campaign for various parties, with some members even capable of donning multiple roles. However, the changing nature of politics itself and the digital campaigns, targeted advertising has significantly impacted their profession. Cine Star Abinaya, a city-based troupe has about 20 artists, they play - MGR, Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Ajith, Vijay and many other personalities. There are even separate persons to represent the MGR in his trademark sunglass, white-cap Chief Minister avatar and also the funky-colored costume-wearing cine-star MGR. During peak election season, an artist earns upto Rs 2000 per performance, but they say that work has become scarce these days, when compared to a decade ago. “Post-election campaign some of us drive autos, some work as shopkeepers, but there are also a few of us who are fully time artists” says Saraa, who runs Cine Star Abinaya. He adds that many cannot sustain this profession after a certain age, as they have to go perform until late in the evenings and often have their meals well after midnight, thus affecting health. Eswaran who plays Rajinikanth and MK Stalin is a full-time performer with no other source of income. “During non-campaign season I perform at temple festivals, I can also sing, so that’s an added advantage” he says. When asked about their routine and fitness regimen, the artists say that they have to maintain diet control and walk a few minutes every day to maintain their physique and ensure that they continue to resemble their starry avatars. Speaking of their livelihoods and families, the artists say that they are able to make ends meet during election season, but that isn’t so after election work dries up. Their lament is that, politicians and parties need them the most during poll-time, but neglect them thereafter. “When we wear those costumes and sing and dance on stage, while seeking votes, our woes disappear, but then the reel life ends and eventually we have to deal with real life” says Saraa.

Tamil Nadu: Lookalikes of Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and others hit campaign trail

Owing to ensuring physical distancing and Covid-19 safety norms there would be 25,000 additional polling booths in Tamil Nadu and the voting time will be extended by an hour. This means that the total voting booths would go up from over 68,000 to 93,000. The announcement to this effect was made by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, during his two-day visit, along with a team of election officials to review poll preparedness in the state.&nbsp;

He emphasized that efforts would be taken to ensure inducement-free and Covid-19-safe elections. The parliamentary by-poll to Kanyakumari constituency is also to be held along with the Assembly elections to 234 seats.

Regarding requests to hold the election in the last week of April, the CEC said that many political parties had asked for the same due to exams, intense summer and festivals among others. The CEC added that all sensitivities would be taken into consideration before announcing the election dates.&nbsp;

When asked about the effectiveness about election commission's actions against malpractices, the CEC replied that it was on display when the Vellore Lok Sabha poll was rescinded and the R K Nagar by poll was rescinded twice.&nbsp;

It was also added that the two special expenditure observers and district level observers would be deputed for Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

However, the CEC also expressed unhappiness over the functioning of the state excise department which had not adequately cracked down on malpractices and only caught the small culprits, while the big fish were spared. He said that a report on this was sought from the Additional Chief Secretary, Home who also looks after finance dept.&nbsp;

The CEC added that he had met and discussed with several officials regarding the smooth conduct of polls in the Southern state.

Owing to ensuring physical distancing and Covid-19 safety norms there would be 25,000 additional polling booths in Tamil Nadu and the voting time will be extended by an hour.

Owing to ensuring physical distancing and Covid-19 safety norms there would be 25,000 additional polling booths in Tamil Nadu and the voting time will be extended by an hour. This means that the total voting booths would go up from over 68,000 to 93,000. The announcement to this effect was made by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, during his two-day visit, along with a team of election officials to review poll preparedness in the state. He emphasized that efforts would be taken to ensure inducement-free and Covid-19-safe elections. The parliamentary by-poll to Kanyakumari constituency is also to be held along with the Assembly elections to 234 seats. Regarding requests to hold the election in the last week of April, the CEC said that many political parties had asked for the same due to exams, intense summer and festivals among others. The CEC added that all sensitivities would be taken into consideration before announcing the election dates. When asked about the effectiveness about election commission's actions against malpractices, the CEC replied that it was on display when the Vellore Lok Sabha poll was rescinded and the R K Nagar by poll was rescinded twice. It was also added that the two special expenditure observers and district level observers would be deputed for Tamil Nadu. However, the CEC also expressed unhappiness over the functioning of the state excise department which had not adequately cracked down on malpractices and only caught the small culprits, while the big fish were spared. He said that a report on this was sought from the Additional Chief Secretary, Home who also looks after finance dept. The CEC added that he had met and discussed with several officials regarding the smooth conduct of polls in the Southern state.

25,000 extra booths, voting time extended by an hour for Tamil Nadu elections, says CEC

Political heavyweights in Tamil Nadu cast votes as polling begins

ith early trends of counting of votes for RK Nagar bypoll favouring independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran, the sidelined leader today said it showed that people want a change of regime.&nbsp;The sidelined AIADMK leader said, &quot;We are the true AIADMK... People of RK Nagar have elected Amma&#39;s successor&quot;.

He also sought to make light of the K Palaniswami camp winning the Two Leaves symbol after both camps staked a claim for it before the Election Commission.&nbsp;&quot;During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the pressure cooker (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime,&quot; he said.

Dhinakaran&#39;s statement to reporters here came in response to the early leads he had taken against his AIADMK rival E Madhusudhanan and DMK&#39;s N Maruthu Ganesh.&nbsp;Claiming victory, he said &quot;this is the best gift for the 1.5 crore party supporters&quot; on the 30th death anniversary of party founder, the late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR.

On the symbol issue, with the Election Commission awarding it recently to the Palaniswamy-led camp, Dhinakaran said only a candidate determines the symbol.&nbsp;&quot;We are the true AIADMK. A candidate determines the symbol. I have already said the &#39;Two Leaves&#39; will be a success symbol only if it was with Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Amma (Jayalalithaa). Will the people vote if it is handed over to MN Nambiar and PS Veerappa&quot;, he asked, amidst chuckles from his supporters.

Nambiar and Veerappa are famous yesteryear villains, with the former being cast against MGR in many of the matinee idol&#39;s films.&nbsp;Dhinakaran said the Palaniswami government will &quot;end in three months&quot;. Meanwhile, jubilant supporters of Dhinakaran celebrated by distributing sweets and bursting crackers, while exuding confidence that their leader would triumph with a thumping margin.

Jubilant supporters of Dhinakaran celebrated by distributing sweets and bursting crackers while exuding confidence that their leader would triumph with a thumping margin

ith early trends of counting of votes for RK Nagar bypoll favouring independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran, the sidelined leader today said it showed that people want a change of regime. The sidelined AIADMK leader said, "We are the true AIADMK... People of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor". He also sought to make light of the K Palaniswami camp winning the Two Leaves symbol after both camps staked a claim for it before the Election Commission. "During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the pressure cooker (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," he said. Dhinakaran's statement to reporters here came in response to the early leads he had taken against his AIADMK rival E Madhusudhanan and DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh. Claiming victory, he said "this is the best gift for the 1.5 crore party supporters" on the 30th death anniversary of party founder, the late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR. On the symbol issue, with the Election Commission awarding it recently to the Palaniswamy-led camp, Dhinakaran said only a candidate determines the symbol. "We are the true AIADMK. A candidate determines the symbol. I have already said the 'Two Leaves' will be a success symbol only if it was with Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Amma (Jayalalithaa). Will the people vote if it is handed over to MN Nambiar and PS Veerappa", he asked, amidst chuckles from his supporters. Nambiar and Veerappa are famous yesteryear villains, with the former being cast against MGR in many of the matinee idol's films. Dhinakaran said the Palaniswami government will "end in three months". Meanwhile, jubilant supporters of Dhinakaran celebrated by distributing sweets and bursting crackers, while exuding confidence that their leader would triumph with a thumping margin.

RK Nagar: Dhinakaran says trends reflect people wanting change

Campaigning for the high-stakes December 21 bypoll to the RK Nagar assembly seat will end on Tuesday evening and the outcome of the hustings is likely to be seen as a report card of the 17-month-old AIADMK government. The political campaign will end by 5pm and the Election Commission has made it clear that there will be no related activities afterward as per rules.

The outcome of the by-election could serve as a report card of the ruling AIADMK which faced turbulence after late chief minister J Jayalalithaa&#39;s death.&nbsp;The campaign witnessed the top leaders of various parties - Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam of the AIADMK, DMK leader MK Stalin and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran - reaching out to voters with hectic campaign schedules.

All parties are keen to make a mark in the election which has become a battle of pride as Jayalalithaa represented the constituency earlier. Her death in December last year necessitated the bypoll.&nbsp;The campaign also saw old rivals Stalin and MDMK founder Vaiko share stage for the first time in many years. The opposition is putting up a united show in a bid to snatch victory in this city segment.

Many opposition parties, including the Congress, the VCK, and the Left have backed DMK candidate N Maruthuganesh.&nbsp;Dhinakaran, who fell out of favour with Palaniswami and also lost the battle for party&#39;s &#39;Two Leaves&#39; symbol to the latter, is fighting as an independent and has expressed confidence that he can spring a surprise against the AIADMK&#39;s E Madhusudhanan as well as the DMK.

With 59 candidates in the fray, the bypoll is virtually confined to old warhorse Madhusudhanan, DMK&#39;s greenhorn Maruthuganesh, and Dhinakaran.&nbsp;Polling will be held on December 21 while the votes will be taken up for counting on December 24.

The campaign witnessed the top leaders of various parties--Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam of the AIADMK, DMK leader MK Stalin and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran--reaching out to voters with hectic campaign schedules

Campaigning for the high-stakes December 21 bypoll to the RK Nagar assembly seat will end on Tuesday evening and the outcome of the hustings is likely to be seen as a report card of the 17-month-old AIADMK government. The political campaign will end by 5pm and the Election Commission has made it clear that there will be no related activities afterward as per rules. The outcome of the by-election could serve as a report card of the ruling AIADMK which faced turbulence after late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's death. The campaign witnessed the top leaders of various parties - Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam of the AIADMK, DMK leader MK Stalin and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran - reaching out to voters with hectic campaign schedules. All parties are keen to make a mark in the election which has become a battle of pride as Jayalalithaa represented the constituency earlier. Her death in December last year necessitated the bypoll. The campaign also saw old rivals Stalin and MDMK founder Vaiko share stage for the first time in many years. The opposition is putting up a united show in a bid to snatch victory in this city segment. Many opposition parties, including the Congress, the VCK, and the Left have backed DMK candidate N Maruthuganesh. Dhinakaran, who fell out of favour with Palaniswami and also lost the battle for party's 'Two Leaves' symbol to the latter, is fighting as an independent and has expressed confidence that he can spring a surprise against the AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan as well as the DMK. With 59 candidates in the fray, the bypoll is virtually confined to old warhorse Madhusudhanan, DMK's greenhorn Maruthuganesh, and Dhinakaran. Polling will be held on December 21 while the votes will be taken up for counting on December 24.

RK Nagar bypoll: Election campaign to end today