TN polls: Voter turnout 'usual', lakhs of votes removed, says VCK chief

VCK President Thirumavalavan called TN voter turnout "usual," alleging lakhs of votes were removed. DMK's Elangovan echoed this view. Thirumavalavan predicted a massive DMK-led alliance victory. Overall state turnout stood at 82.24 per cent.

VCK Chief on 'Usual' Turnout and Vote Deletion

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) President Thol.Thirumavalavan, on Saturday, addressed a press conference at Chennai Airport, and said that the voter turnout in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has not seen any significant change, describing it as "usual." He alleged that lakhs of votes were removed during the SIR. "If those votes had not been deleted, the turnout would have appeared similar to previous elections. The current increase in numbers only creates an impression of higher polling, which is not the reality."

Around 20 to 25 lakh new voters are typically added every five years, which contributes to the overall rise in voter numbers. "This election too has seen the addition of nearly 20-25 lakh new voters," he noted.

DMK Alliance Victory Predicted

"DMK will form the government again. The secular progressive alliance will secure a massive victory. Based on our direct interactions with people on the ground, we strongly feel this," he opined. He did not predict a hung Assembly. "I only said that the political situation may change after the elections, depending on the vote share secured by actor Vijay. Let the results come," he said.

DMK Spokesperson Echoes Turnout Analysis

Echoing the same thoughts on the Tamil Nadu polls, DMK Spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Friday said that the increase in voter turnout percentage in Tamil Nadu should be understood in the context of changes in the total number of registered voters following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Elangovan said, "In 2021, before SIR, the total number of votes polled was 4.63 crore. Post SIR in this election, the total number of votes polled is around 4 crore 82 lakhs. So, around 19 lakh votes have only increased...There is not much difference..." He added that the increase in turnout percentage does not necessarily indicate a drastic change in voter participation when viewed in absolute numbers.

High Voter Participation Across Districts

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu witnessed strong voter participation across districts, with several regions recording high turnout figures. Karur led the state with 89.32 per cent, followed by Salem at 88.02 per cent, Erode at 87.59 per cent, Dharmapuri at 87.28 per cent, and Tiruppur at 86.33 per cent. Ariyalur recorded 83.09 per cent, Tiruchirappalli 82.76 per cent, and Chennai 81.34 per cent, indicating strong participation in urban and semi-urban regions. Madurai and Thoothukudi recorded 77.89 per cent and 77.56 per cent, respectively,

According to the Election Commission of India, overall voter turnout in Tamil Nadu stood at 82.24 per cent by 5 pm on Thursday, with polling for all 234 Assembly constituencies concluding at 6 pm. The counting of votes will take place on May 4. (ANI)

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