Tag: Tamil Nadu

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Tamil Nadu records 72.09% voter turnout, youth show enthusiasm

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Election Commission: Nearly 60% polling till 7 pm in phase one of Lok Sabha polls

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that nearly 60% voter turnout has been recorded at the end of the phase one of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, April 19. The voting for 102 seats across 21 states and union territories began at 7 am amid heavy security. As many as 1,625 candidates are in the fray in the first phase. Eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and one ex-governor are among those who are set to test their electoral fate in this phase. The voting for the first phase ended at 6 pm. Besides Lok Sabha polls, voting began for assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. 

Here’s the list of voter turnout from all major states that saw polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 72.09% in the Lok Sabha polls held in a single phase, slightly lower than 72.44% it had recorded in the 2019 polls. The fate of 950 candidates will be decided by about 6.23 crore voters who are set to exercise their franchise in 68,321 polling stations. DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris) and Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), BJP’s K Annamalai (Coimbatore), L Murugan (Nilgiris) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai), former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (Ramanathapuram), Congress party’s Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga), AIADMK’s J Jayavardhan (South Chennai) and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran (Theni) are among the prominent candidates.

Uttar Pradesh

About 58% voter turnout was recorded on eight seats of western Uttar Pradesh where polling took place in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday. According to the Election Commission’s Voter Turnout app, 63.29% voting was reported in Saharanpur, 57.83% in Moradabad, 60.39% in Kairana, 59.17% in Nagina, 60.23% in Pilibhit, 54.68% in Bijnor, 52.42% in Rampur and 54.91% in Muzaffarnagar.

Maharashtra

About 32.36% of the over 95 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm. Voter turnout stood at 19.72% in Bhandara-Gondia,  Chandrapur 18.94%, Gadchiroli-Chimur 24.88%, Nagpur 17.73% and Ramtek 16.14%.

Altogether 97 candidates, including Union minister Nitin Gadkari, are in the fray in five seats, all located in eastern-most parts of the state.

There are 95,54,667 voters in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in the Vidarbha region. Of these, 48,28,142 are male, 47,26,178 female and 347 transgender voters, an election official said.

West Bengal

A voter turnout of 77.57%  was recorded in the three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. A total of 56.26 lakh people are eligible to vote in Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduars seats. A total of 37 candidates are in the fray in the three constituencies where voting will continue till 6 pm.

Rajasthan

A voter turnout of close to 55% was recorded in 12 parliamentary constituencies of Rajasthan where polling was held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The election authorities said 54.97% of the electorate cast their votes. The final figures would be released later. The highest voter turnout of 62.93% was recorded in the Ganganagar Lok Sabha seat while Jhunjhunu saw the lowest turnout of 47.98%, it said. Jaipur recorded a poll percentage of 61.23. The voting percentage in Bikaner was 52.53, Churu 61.05, Sikar 55.06, Jaipur Rural 54.44, Alwar 55.82, Dausa 49.57, Bharatpur 50.97 and Nagaur 56.89. There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan and the remaining 13 will go to poll in the second phase on April 26.

Madhya Pradesh

A voter turnout of 66.44% was recorded across six Lok Sabha seats, including high-profile Chhindwara, in Madhya Pradesh in the first phase of general elections. Chhindwara recorded the highest turnout of 78.67%, followed by Mandla 72.92%, Balaghat 72.60%, Shahdol 64.11%, Jabalpur 59.72% and Sidhi 56.18%.

Voting in Baihar and Paraswada assembly constituencies in Naxal-affected Balaghat was held between 7 am and 4 pm for security reasons.

The BJP had failed to win the Chhindwara constituency in the 2019 parliamentary polls. It was the only Lok Sabha seat, out of the total 29 in the state, that the ruling party could not win.

Besides Chhindwara, the other key seat in the first phase is Mandla (ST), from where the sitting MP and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste is contesting again.

The six constituencies – Shahdol, Mandla (both reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates), Jabalpur, Balaghat, Chhindwara and Sidhi – covered 13 districts and 47 assembly segments in the state.

In the November 2023 assembly elections in the state, 77.82% voting was recorded. The state registered 61.57% voting in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which increased to 71.16% in 2019.

Polling for three more phases of the Lok Sabha elections in the state will take place on April 26, May 7 and May 13 for the remaining 23 seats.

As many as 88 candidates, 81 men and seven women are in the fray across the six constituencies. The total number of registered voters in the six constituencies is 1,13,09, 636 (57,20,780 male, 55,88,669 female and 187 transgender).

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand recorded 53.65% polling.

Assam

The state recorded a voter turnout of 45.12% till 1 pm in the five Lok Sabha seats. Jorhat recorded the highest turnout of 47.73%, followed by Sonitpur with 45.25%, Lakhimpur 44.33%, Kaziranga 44.32% and Dibrugarh 44.02%.

A total of 86,47,869 voters will decide the fate of 35 candidates in these five seats.

Jammu

Around 43.11% of voters exercised their franchise till 11 am in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur parliamentary constituency.

Voting will decide the fate of 12 candidates, including Union minister Jitendra Singh who is eyeing a third term after winning the seat for the BJP in 2014 and 2019. This is the first major electoral battle after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.

Bihar

First phase of Lok Sabha polls in four constituencies passed off peacefully in Bihar on Friday, with a provisional voter turnout of 48.23%, almost 5% less than that of the 2019 general elections, officials said. The prevailing heatwave condition could be a possible reason for the low voter turnout, they said. Gaya registered 52% polling, Aurangabad 50%, Jamui 50% and Nawada 41.50%. The total voter turnout in these four Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections was 53.47%.

Chhattisgarh

More than 42% of the electorate cast their votes till 1 pm in the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency of Chhattisgarh. The straight fight is between the Congress’s firebrand leader Kawasi Lakhma and BJP’s Mahesh Kashyap, a fresh face, in Bastar, which the saffron party lost in 2019.

Altogether 14,72,207 voters, including 7,71,679 women, 7,00,476 men and 52 transgenders, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the seat with 11 candidates in the fray.

Manipur

Incidents of firing, intimidation, destruction of EVMs at some polling booths and allegations of booth capturing were reported from conflict-hit Manipur that recorded a turnout of over 68% in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday. Both the BJP and the Congress accused each other of unleashing violence and breaching the election Model Code of Conduct. The state which has been reeling under the conflict of ethnic violence since May last year has traditionally seen a very high voter turnout. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the state recorded a turnout of 82%. Voting took place in two constituencies–Inner Manipur (32 assembly segments) and Outer Manipur (15 assembly segments)- on Friday while polling in the remaining 13 assembly segments in the Outer Manipur constituency will take place on April 26 in the second phase. “A voter turnout of 68.82% has been recorded. While the Inner Manipur constituency has recorded 72.3% turnout, the poll percentage in Outer Manipur stood at 61.98%,” said Pradeep Kumar Jha, Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur.

Arunachal Pradesh

Around 37% of the total 8,92,694 voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm on Friday in the state where polling is underway for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies, officials said. The ruling BJP has already won 10 seats in the 60-member assembly unopposed.

Though the turnout was moderate in the morning hours due to inclement weather, it gathered momentum with weather conditions improving.

Nagaland

The lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland recorded a voter turnout of 56.77%. The polling was underway amid a call given by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) in six districts of the region to abstain from voting over the demand for a separate state.  A total of 13.25 lakh voters are eligible to vote in Nagaland.

Sikkim

Over 68% of the 4.64 lakh voters in 32 Assembly seats and in the lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim have exercised their franchise. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who is spearheading the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)’s bid for a second term in power, is contesting from the Soreng-Chakung assembly constituency. Tamang is also contesting from the Rhenock assembly seat. Sitting Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba and SDF’s PD Rai are among 14 candidates in the lone Lok Sabha seat.

Tripura

The Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency registered a voter turnout of nearly 80% amid allegations of irregularities. In the by-election to the Ramnagar assembly seat, which was being held simultaneously, a turnout of 43.01% was recorded till 1 pm. Altogether, 14.61 lakh people are eligible to vote in this phase of Lok Sabha polls in the state.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

An estimated 35.70% of the total 3,15,148 voters in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have exercised their franchise till 1 pm.

A total of 12 candidates, including two women and five independents are in the fray for the lone Lok Sabha seat. However, the contest is between the BJP’s Bishnu Pada Ray and Congress-sitting MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma.

The total number of voters in the Union Territory (UT) is 3,15148, which includes 1,64,012 male, 1,51,132 female and four voters in third gender category.

Puducherry

The lone Puducherry Lok Sabha seat recorded 77.86% polling, according to the union territory’s election authorities. The fight is between BJP’s A Namassivayam and Congress MP V Vaithilingam, seeking a successive term.

Lakshadweep

Nearly 60% voter turnout was recorded until 5 pm in the Lakshadweep Lok Sabha constituency, where present MP and NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Mohammed Faizal is engaged in a fierce battle with Congress leader and former MP Hamdullah Sayeed. The constituency spans across the 10 inhabited islands of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, with an electorate of 57,784 as per data shared by the Election Commission. Out of this total, 28,506 are women voters. TP Yousuf of the NCP (Ajith Pawar) is also contesting the election.

Mizoram

More than 56% of the total 8.56 lakh voters in Mizoram exercised their franchise for the lone Lok Sabha seat till 5 pm on Friday, election officials said. State additional chief electoral officer H Lianzela said 56.68 per cent voter turnout was reported till 5 pm when the deadline for voting ended. There are six candidates in the fray.

Meghalaya registered nearly 71% voter turnout

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Lok Sabha Elections 2024: DMK’s A Raja eyes second term in Nilgiris as 71% turnout registered

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris constituency goes to polls on April 19, the first phase of voting in Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Voting across 102 constituencies that vote in this phase began at 7 am. The constintuency witnessed a voter turnout of 70.93% by the end of polling.

All the 39 assembly seats of Tamil Nadu will witness voting in the first phase of polling. Nilgiris is a key constituency as sitting MP and DMK candidate A Raja is up against union minister and BJP candidate L Murugan.

The key constituency, reserved for scheduled caste, witnesses a four-cornered contest this time with Raja, Murugan, AIADMK’s Lokesh Tamilselvan and Naam Tamilar Katchi’s A Jayakumar.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Nilgiris, L Murugan casts his vote at a polling station in Koyambedu, Chennai.

DMK has fielded A Raja from the constituency. AIADMK’s D. Lokesh Tamilselvan also contesting from here. #LokSabhaElection2024 pic.twitter.com/OwVj5zv8ux

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Raja defeated AIADMK candidate M Thiyagarajan by a margin of more than 2,00,000 votes. He had won the seat in 2009 as well but failed to retain it in 2014.

Since 2009, the constituency has been reserved for candidates belonging to the scheduled caste. It is composed of the following assembly segments: Bhavanisagar (AIADMK), Udhagamandalam (Congress), Gudalur (AIADMK), Coonoor (DMK), Mettupalayam (AIADMK) and Avinashi (AIADMK).

As many as 1,365,608 voters shall decide the next winner from the constituency which has 24.5% of SC voters and 3.2% of ST voters.

At a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to make a solid mark in the southern states of the country, Nilgiris, unlike other constituencies of Tamil Nadu, is not particularly unfamiliar territory for the BJP.

Master Mathan of the BJP won twice from this seat in 1998 and 1999. However, those victories were mostly ensured during an alliance with the AIADMK or DMK.

In this term, BJP is fighting alone against both the DMK and AIADMK. According to News18 ground, BJP seems to be putting up a tough fight on the seat. Even if it does not win the seat, it stands a high chance of displacing the AIADMK from the second position.

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Coimbatore Lok Sabha election: TN BJP chief K Annamalai seeks maiden term in Parliament

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Coimbatore constituency in Tamil Nadu recorded 58% voting till 5 pm. Overall, the state recorded 62.08% voter turnout in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Coimbatore is one of the prestigious parliamentary seats. State Bharatiya Janata Party chief K Annamalai is aiming for his maiden Lok Sabha term in 2024.

The Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat has the third highest number of voters after Sriperumbudur and Chennai South, making it one of the most significant electoral districts in Tamil Nadu. PR Natarajan, the sitting MP of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is not contesting this time.

List of Candidates

As many as 37 candidates are contesting from the Coimbatore seat. Here’s a list of top five among them:

2019 Lok Sabha election Result

In 2019, PR Natarajan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) won the elections after he received 46% of the total votes.

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Sriperumbudur records 37% voter turnout in first four hours of voting

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Sriperumbudur, a bustling industrial centre in Tamil Nadu, and one of the 39 high-profile parliamentary constituencies in the state with over 23 lakh voters, recorded 37.4% voter turnout till 1 pm today (April 19).

This constituency, which encompasses Assembly segments from Maduravoyal, Ambattur, and Alandur in Chennai, as well as Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram district, and Pallavaram and Tambaram in Chengalpattu district, has often been a battleground for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Tamil Nadu voted in a single-phase for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with vote counting set for June 4, all eyes are on Sriperumbudur.

The last election saw DMK’s TR Baalu, a seasoned politician with six Lok Sabha terms, secure a decisive win beating his nearest rival from Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) by a margin of over five lakh.

TR Baalu, who represented Chennai South in four consecutive general elections from 1996 to 2004 before shifting his political base to Sriperumbudur, made a robust comeback in 2019 after a defeat in Thanjavur in 2014.

Seeking his seventh term, Baalu is faced with competition from AIADMK’s G Premkumar and VN Venugopal of the TMC(M), part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as well as other candidates like V Ravichandran of NTK, K Prabakaran of BSP, and S Ambethkumar of MMMK.

The 2019 election results showcased a dominant performance by Baalu who garnered 7,93,281 votes, constituting 56% of the total votes.

His closest competitor, A Vaithilingam of PMK, received 2,85,326 votes, which was 20% of the total.

Other candidates like M Sridhar of MNM secured 1,35,525 votes (10%), and H Mahendran of NTK got 84,979 votes (6%). Independent candidate Tambaram G Narayanan and votes cast for ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) also made up significant portions of the vote share with 41,497 (3%) and 23,343 (2%), respectively.

As Sriperumbudur heads to the polls, the constituency stands at a critical juncture, poised to decide if it will continue its trend of strong DMK support or pivot towards new leadership under the challenging circumstances presented by diverse opposition. This election is not just a test of TR Baalu’s enduring appeal but also a reflection of the dynamic political landscape of this vital industrial region of Tamil Nadu.

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Lok Sabha election 2024: A SWOT analysis of DMK vs AIADMK in Tamil Nadu

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Tamil Nadu, on Friday, April 19, went to polls in a single-phase election during the first phase of polling for 102 seats across 12 states and union territories. The key contest is between the two Dravidian parties – DMK and AIADMK leading their alliances. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of K Annamalai has cobbled an alliance of its own and hopes to throw a surprise.

MK Stalin-led DMK, a key constituent of the INDIA alliance, includes the Congress and the Left Parties in the alliance. Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK is also hoping to make a mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll.

Here’s a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) analysis of the two major political parties in Tamil Nadu:

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

STRENGTHS: DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin continues to maintain a resolute anti-BJP stance, particularly on contentious issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Anti-incumbency is not a factor against the ruling party, which remains popular and ably backed by its robust organisational structure statewide. What further bolsters DMK’s position is the unflinching support from its allies, including the Congress and the Left parties, further uplifted by a symbiotic alliance and not a parasitic one.

WEAKNESS: The succession of MK Stalin after M Karunanidhi in DMK strengthens the charge of ‘family rule’ and ‘dynasty’ politics often made by the main rivals AIADMK and the BJP.  Allegations of graft against DMK ministers and the ongoing probe involving Balaji, KKSSR Ramachandran, Thangam Thennarasu, and Periyasamy further dent the party’s claim of a clean image. Although DMK has dismissed Jaffer Sadiq, an office-bearer from the party in connection with allegations of links with an international drug cartel, the issue is highlighted often by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami to target the DMK. The opposition AIADMK has also been targeting the DMK on the Cauvery River water issue, alleging that it hasn’t secured the state’s rights in Mekedatu issue as the Cauvery Water Management Authority took up the dam proposal of Karnataka for discussion and referred to the Central Water Commission.

OPPORTUNITIES: The Stalin government implemented social welfare measures including fare-free travel in state-run buses for women could consolidate their vote in its favour. The state government has also been able to attract a lot of investment in the manufacturing sector that could create job opportunities. The exit of O Panneerselvam, a leader belonging to the Mukkulathor community, may go against the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu’s southern districts.

THREATS: The Palaniswami-led AIADMK is a power to reckon in the state and commands considerable clout in the western part of Tamil Nadu along with the presence of a well-organised party structure. The opposition has been targeting the DMK government on sugarcane and paddy procurement at higher prices, which remains an unfulfilled poll promise. AIADMK fighting elections without an alliance with the BJP may help the opposition’s cause and strengthen its claim of representing a true Dravidian ideology devoid of dynasty politics. The sharp rise of the BJP under state chief K Annamalai and the strong response his padayatra received could throw electoral surprises for both Dravidian parties.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)

STRENGTHS: Palaniswami has asserted himself as a strong leader and targeted both the ruling DMK and the BJP while championing his state’s interests. The former Tamil Nadu CM’s firm stance against CAA will also help project a secular image for his party. On the crucial Cauvery river water issue, Palaniswami has been seen prioritising Tamil Nadu’s rights including his administration’s initiatives, for instance, the Kudimaramathu scheme for water conservation and declaring the Cauvery delta region as a protected agricultural zone. During his tenure as the CM, he introduced a 7.5% quota for state school students in medical courses.

WEAKNESSES: A major gap in the party’s organisation is lack of a charismatic leader like the late J Jayalalitha. Despite serving a full tenure as Tamil Nadu CM, Palaniswami lacks the charisma to galvanise the state’s voters when compared to Stalin. Even organisationally, the AIADMK is a former shadow of itself against the well-oiled structure of the DMK and rising rank and file of the BJP led by K Annamalai. The party’s ongoing legal dispute between Palaniswami and Paneerselvam further weakens the structure and organisational strength. Despite distancing itself from the BJP, there remains scepticism among voters over its future course of action as the party leans more towards the right side of the political spectrum.

OPPORTUNITIES: In Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha polls, issues like drugs, CAA, and regional concerns will take center stage. and with the AIADMK’s stance on these topics, the party aims to solidify minority support and hopes to breach traditional DMK strongholds. The party’s strategies focus on addressing these pressing issues to sway voters in its favor.

THREATS: The symbiotic alliance of the DMK-led ruling INDIA block and their campaign is a huge threat to the AIADMK along with internal factionalism and litigation that dents the party’s image. The presence of a strong PM candidate in BJP in Narendra Modi who has invoked the legacy of MGR and Jayalalitha against the DMK family rule may benefit the saffron party at the expense of the AIADMK.

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Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: List of Congress candidates

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Tamil Nadu, which is all set to vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections across all 39 parliamentary constituencies in a single phase on April 19, is seeing a three-way contest between the AIADMK, the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc, comprising DMK, Congress and others.

Tamil Nadu is among the few states where the Congress remains quite popular, while the BJP is making all possible efforts to gain ground.

The grand old party is contesting the 2024 general elections in alliance with its long-time partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and others as part of the INDIA bloc.

During the 2019 polls, the DMK-led alliance registered a landslide victory in the state, winning 38 of the 39 seats. Of these, 24 seats went to DMK, while Congress kept 8, CPI and CPI(M) got two each, and VCK and IUML ended up with one seat each. They receive a combined vote share of 53.15%.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which included then allies AIADMK and BJP, could only manage one seat.

Despite facing an uphill task to dethrone the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, the Congress seems confident to win a majority of seats along with its allies in Tamil Nadu, according to 2024 poll surveys.

Hoping for another dominating performance in the state, Congress has fielded nine candidates in Tamil Nadu in the 2024 elections. As per the seat-sharing agreement of the INDIA bloc, the rest of the seats will be contested by DMK (22), CPI (2), CPM (2), VCA (2), MDMK (1) and IUML (1).

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Voting dates

Polling for the 2024 general elections in the state takes place in the first phase on Friday, April 19. Voting across all the seats will be conducted in a single phase. During the 2019 polls, Tamil Nadu registered a total voter turnout of 72.44%.

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Total seats

The state has 39 parliamentary constituencies, of which seven are reserved for the SC candidates, while the rest are unreserved.

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress candidates

Aiming for yet another strong performance in the state, the Congress party is being represented by nine candidates here. Here’s a list of Congress candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu:

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Full list of BJP candidates

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Tamil Nadu, which sends 39 parliamentarians to the Lok Sabha, will go to the polls in the first of the seven-phase general elections on Friday. Historically, Tamil Nadu has seen a two-party dominance of AIADMK and DMK. However, this time, a three-way contest is anticipated, with the BJP-led NDA striving to expand its presence in the Dravidian heartland.

Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats, and the BJP, led by K Annamalai, aims for a double-digit vote and seat share in the state. The saffron party is contesting 23 seats and has allied with several other regional parties.

The NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu has Pattali Makkal Katchi contesting 10 seats, while Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) has been allotted three constituencies. Former chief minister O. Panneerselvam is part of the NDA but he’s contesting as an Independent, while Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, led by TTV Dhinakaran, has been given two seats.

Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi, Puthiya Needhi Katchi, and Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam will contest one seat each in the BJP symbol.

The saffron party’s alliance partners are contesting from Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Dharmapuri, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Erode, Dindigul, Tiruchirappalli, Mayiladuthurai, Thoothukkudi, Theni, Cuddalore, and Ramanathapuram.

List of BJP candidates for Tamil Nadu

The DMK is part of the India bloc with Congress and other smaller parties. The Stalin-led party will contest 22 seats, followed by Congress in nine seats. The alliance also includes CPI(M) (2 seats), CPI (2 seats), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (2 seats), Indian Muslim League, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) a seat each.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK is contesting 34 seats and has an alliance with four other parties, including the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (5 seats). Additionally, candidates from Puthiya Tamilagam and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) will contest using the AIADMK symbol.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Seats, schedule, DMK candidates and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Tamil Nadu, which has 39 parliamentary constituencies, will vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a single phase on Friday, April 19. The southern state’s political scenario differs from the rest of the country. It is majorly dominated by regional parties like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

Since 2004, general elections in Tamil Nadu have majorly been swept by one of the two alliances, except for 2009 when the state delivered a somewhat split verdict with DMK and its allies bagging 27 seats while the rival coalition, led by AIADMK won the rest.

However, in the 2024 elections, Tamil Nadu is witnessing a three-way contest between the INDIA bloc, including DMK, Congress and others; the AIADMK; and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

During the 2019 polls, the DMK-led bloc registered a historic win, bagging 38 of the 39 seats in the state with a combined vote share of 53.15%. Of these, the DMK won 24 seats, while the Congress got 8, CPI and CPI(M) two seats each, and VCK and IUML ended with one seat each.

Meanwhile, the NDA, including AIADMK and BJP, could only manage a victory on a single seat.

In the 2024 general elections, the DMK-led alliance is aiming for a clean sweep in the state. As per the seat-sharing deal, the DMK has fielded its candidates in 22 seats, while allotting nine seats to the Congress, two seats each for CPI, CPM and VCA and one each for MDMK and IUML.

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Voting dates

Polling for the 2024 polls in Tamil Nadu will take place in a single phase across all the 39 seats in the state on April 19. During the 2019 elections, the state registered a total voter turnout of 72.44%.

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: Total seats

The state has 39 parliamentary constituencies — the fifth highest in the country after Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar. Of the 39, seven are reserved for the SC candidates, while the remaining 32 seats are unreserved.

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections 2024: DMK candidates

The DMK has fielded a few star candidates in the 2024 elections, hoping to repeat its last time’s dominating performance in the state. Here’s a list of DMK candidates competing in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections:

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Thoothukudi Lok Sabha election: Kanimozhi confident of second consecutive term in flood-battered constituency

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Thoothukudi, one of the 39 parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu, is witnessing a multi-corner contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with issues like the apprehension of fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities, environmental concerns over the copper smelter plant and politics over handling of recent floods dominating the poll campaigning.

Voting for all the Lok Sabha seats in the state, including Thoothukudi, will take place in the first phase on Friday, April 19. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Thoothukudi, majorly been represented by leaders of AIADMK and DMK members in the Lower House of Parliament in the past, comprises six Assembly segments — Vilathikulam, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Srivaikuntam, Ottapidaram and Kovilpatti. Of these, DMK and allies won from five constituencies in the 2021 state Assembly elections while AIADMK managed to win from the Kovilpatti seat.

Kanimozhi, the daughter of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and half-sister of incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin, made her debut in the 2019 general elections and registered a dominating victory over BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan, who has this time relocated to Chennai South constituency after recently giving up her position as Governor.

According to experts, winning the election for a second consecutive time may not be an uphill task for Kanimozhi as she is pitted against AIADMK candidate R Sivasamy Velumani, who runs the Puttur Bone and Joint Fracture Treatment Centre in Chennai, and TMC candidate SDR Vijayaseelan, who is contesting with the support of the BJP.

Thoothukudi Lok Sabha election 2024: Voting date

Polling for the 2024 elections will be held in seven phases across the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in the country. In Tamil Nadu, voting will be held in the first phase on Friday. In the 2019 polls, the Thoothukudi constituency registered a voter turnout of 69.48%.

Thoothukudi Lok Sabha election 2024: List of candidates

Kanimozhi, a two-time Rajya Sabha member, is seeking a re-election from the Thoothukudi seat in Tamil Nadu. She is contesting the polls against 27 other candidates. Here’s a list of a few prominent names fighting elections from Thoothukudi constituency:

2019 elections

Kanimozhi won the Thoothukudi seat in the 2019 elections, defeating rival BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan by over 3.47 lakh votes. She received 5,63,143 in total.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow