Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 23 : Tamil Nadu Minister and candidate for the Mudukulathur constituency, Raja Kannappan, exercised his franchise on Thursday at a polling station in Sivaganga amid the ongoing polling for Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Thursday visited the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, to inspect the election war room set up for the 2026 Assembly polls.
According to the Chief Minister's Office, Stalin checked the functioning of the control room and enquired about the calls received there. The war room has been set up to manage election-related coordination and to address queries and issues raised by party functionaries on the ground.
A dedicated control room has been established at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai to handle election coordination work. Party members have been given a phone number, 08069446900, to raise election-related questions, complaints, and feedback.
Stalin also used the voting day to appeal to citizens to take part in the democratic process. In a post on social media platform X, he said voting is essential and linked it to the future of the state.
"Do not fail to cast your vote for the development of Tamil Nadu! I have cast my vote in the 2026 Assembly elections. Let all the great voters of Tamil Nadu, without fail, fulfil their democratic duty," he said.
He further said voting goes beyond a routine democratic act and carries wider political meaning.
Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Thursday exercised her franchise at a polling station in St. Ebba's Higher Secondary School in Chennai amid the ongoing polling for Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
Addressing reporters, Kanimozhi expressed confidence that the DMK will continue its reign in Tamil Nadu, after securing a "remarkable victory" in the ongoing assembly elections.
"The people will definitely take a clear decision. After meeting the people continuously, I firmly believe that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule will continue, and the Chief Minister's governance will persist. I don't want to get into specific numbers, but the DMK alliance will certainly achieve a remarkable victory. Once all the votes are counted, the truth will be evident to everyone. History will repeat itself. I believe voter turnout will definitely increase, and people across Tamil Nadu are enthusiastic about voting, wanting the DMK rule to continue," she said.
She also motivated the electorate to exercise their franchise, stating, "Come and vote. Think for a moment about what is good for the country, who will protect our rights, our language, and the future of our children, and then cast your vote."
Polling for the Assembly elections began in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase 1) amid tight security on Thursday. The voting will conclude at 6:00 pm today in both states.
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections are being held in a single phase today, while West Bengal will witness two phases of polling in the Assembly elections 2026, with the second phase scheduled to take place on April 29. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Polling is being held for 234 Assembly constituencies across Tamil Nadu.
The main contest is expected between the DMK-led alliance, which includes the Indian National Congress, DMDK and VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance led by AIADMK with BJP and PMK as allies.
With the DMK banking on its welfare record, the AIADMK-led NDA is fighting for a comeback.
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