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Rahul Gandhi Urges Tamil Nadu to Protect Identity, Rights in Polls

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to voters in Tamil Nadu to protect their identity, language, and rights by voting for the INDIA alliance. The state's Chief Electoral Officer anticipates a higher-than-usual voter turnout and detailed massive enforcement efforts, including seizures worth Rs 1,262 crore under the Model Code of Conduct. The election features a major contest between the DMK-led alliance and the NDA, with actor Vijay's party TVK potentially creating a three-way fight. Over 5.73 crore voters, including a significant number of first-time voters, are eligible to cast their ballots.

Key Points: Rahul Gandhi's Message to Tamil Nadu Voters Before Polling

  • Rahul Gandhi's appeal to Tamil Nadu voters
  • EC expects higher voter turnout
  • Rs 1,262 crore seized in enforcement drive
  • Three-way contest with DMK, NDA, and TVK
  • Over 5.73 crore voters eligible
2 min read

Protect your identity, your rights: Rahul Gandhi's message to people of Tamil Nadu ahead of polling

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urges voters to protect their identity and rights, as EC reports massive seizures and high turnout expected in Tamil Nadu.

Protect your identity, your rights: Rahul Gandhi's message to people of Tamil Nadu ahead of polling
"Protect your identity, your language, your rights. Vote for the INDIA alliance. - Rahul Gandhi"

New Delhi, April 22

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked the voters to "protect your identity" in a message which came a day ahead of voting in Tamil Nadu.

"The Congress-DMK alliance has a proud history of social justice in Tamil Nadu. We are committed to carrying it forward. My message to the people of Tamil Nadu: Protect your identity, your language, your rights. Vote for the INDIA alliance. Vote for Congress", he said on X.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik on Wednesday anticipated that voter turnout is expected to exceed usual levels, and highlighted that over 1.06 lakh EVM machines are set to be utilised during the voting.

Adressing a press conference in Chennai, CEO Patnaik said, "Voter turnout is expected to be higher than usual. For election duty, 1,20,000 police personnel and 3,40,000 government staff have been deployed."

Highlighting a strict enforcement drive under the Model Code of Conduct, which came into effect on March 15, she reported that cash and valuables worth Rs 1,262 crore have been seized, with Rs 543 crore already confiscated.

"Cash and valuables worth Rs 1,262 crore have been seized, of which Rs 543 crore has been confiscated. Monitoring is being carried out through four types of surveillance teams. Regarding social media violations, 163 cases have been registered, and 2,180 internet links have been blocked," the CEO stated.

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, she added. 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 Indian National Congress, DMDK and VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance led by AIADMK with BJP and PMK as allies.

Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with his party TVK, which could turn the contest into a three-way fight.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the massive scale of election logistics! Over 5.7 crore voters and lakhs of staff deployed. The cash seizures worth ₹1262 crore are staggering though. Shows how much money flows during elections. Hope the process is fair and peaceful.
R
Rohit P
While I appreciate the message, I wish political appeals went beyond identity politics and focused more on concrete development plans for Tamil Nadu. Jobs, infrastructure, and economic growth matter just as much as protecting cultural identity. Just my two paise.
P
Priya S
Actor Vijay's entry adds a new twist! Tamil Nadu has a history of film personalities in politics. Will be interesting to see if TVK cuts into the votes of the major alliances or plays kingmaker. Exciting times for state politics!
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Aman W
The seizure figures are a wake-up call. ₹543 crore confiscated already! This is taxpayer money being misused. Strict enforcement of the Model Code is very necessary. Kudos to the election officials for their vigilance.
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Meera T
As a first-time voter from Chennai, I feel a sense of responsibility. The numbers are inspiring – over 14 lakh of us are voting for the first time. Let's make our voices heard and choose wisely. Every vote counts!

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