Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 23 : Naam Taamil Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Senthamilan Seeman cast his vote at a polling station in Neelankarai in Chennai for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on Thursday.
Seeman is contesting elections from the Karaikudi constituency, which has been held by Congress since 2016. Seeman is going against sitting MLA S Mangudi and AMMK's Therpoki V Pandi. The NTK leader appealed to voters to vote for change.
"This Voting is the only weapon and way to choose our leader. No one should ever think that one vote cannot change or make any difference. It is our Democratic responsibility to cast our vote. You can vote to any one. But you should Vote The whole election process is like negotiating the price of a real estate plot and selling it.. The same happens around the election also, constituencies are been sold. This has to be changed and the the change is very important," he said.
Meanwhile, Tamilisai Soundarajan the BJP candidate from Mylapore assembly constituency, expressed confidence in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s victory
"This is the democratic celebration. Each and everyone should take part in this democratic celebration. I am very happy, I am a candidate, as well as a voter. With all the blessings of the people of Tamil Nadu, NDA will win even in Mylapore with the blessings of God and the people, I will raise the voice of women in Assembly," she said
P Soundararajan, her husband also echoed the confidence.
"I have gone around the entire constituency. It is going to be a huge success for NDA, especially for my wife in Mylapore. The unmet demands will be met by the wife. We are very confident of the victory," P Soundararajan told ANI.
Polling for the Assembly elections began in Tamil Nadu amid tight security on Thursday. The voting will conclude at 6:00 pm today.
The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik said that the state's electorate comprises over 5.73 crore voters, featuring 2,93,04,905 female voters, 2,80,30,658 male voters, and 7,728 third-gender voters. The poll body is also catering to 14,59,039 first-time voters and 68,501 service voters, with 4,18,541 postal votes already received. Furthermore, 62 counting centres have already been established to ensure a smooth process after the high-stakes voting concludes.
The main contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which includes the Congress, DMDK and VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance led by AIADMK with BJP and PMK as allies.
With the DMK banking on its Dravidian 2.0 model, the AIADMK-led NDA is fighting for a comeback. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which could turn the contest into a three-way fight.
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