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Tamil Nadu Votes: Rajinikanth, TVK's Sengottaiyan Among Early Voters in Key Polls

Polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections commenced with high-profile participation from political and film personalities. TVK Chief Coordinator KA Sengottaiyan and superstar Rajinikanth were among the early voters, while IIT Madras Director Veezhinathan Kamakoti highlighted long-term national priorities. The electoral battle is primarily between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance. The debut of actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party adds a potential third dimension to the contest.

Key Points: Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: High-Profile Voting Underway

  • High-profile early voters include TVK's Sengottaiyan and superstar Rajinikanth
  • IIT Madras Director emphasizes education and health for national goals
  • Over 5.73 crore electorate with significant first-time voters
  • Main contest between DMK-led alliance and AIADMK-led NDA
  • Actor Vijay's TVK party could create a three-way fight
2 min read

Tamil Nadu Polls: TVK Chief Coordinator KA Sengottaiyan casts vote in Gobichettipalayam

Polling begins for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Rajinikanth, TVK's KA Sengottaiyan vote. Key contest between DMK alliance and AIADMK-led NDA.

"We have 21 years for Viksit Bharat 2047, which is very important. - Veezhinathan Kamakoti"

Chennai, April 23

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Executive Committee Chief Coordinator KA Sengottaiyan was among the early voters for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on Thursday.

Sengottaiyan cast his vote at Kullampalayam, which falls under the Gobichettipalayam Assembly constituency in Erode district.

Meanwhile, IIT Madras Director Veezhinathan Kamakoti voted at a polling station in Chennai's Mylapore.

Speaking after casting his vote, he highlighted the importance of long-term national goals, saying, "We have 21 years for Viksit Bharat 2047, which is very important. All the governments and states have to fine-tune themselves... Education and health are very important priorities. We have been doing well as a state and I am sure we will continue this great job and we will offer the best in terms of these two, the highest priority."

Tamil Nadu saw high-profile participation from the film fraternity as superstar Rajinikanth went for a morning walk ahead of casting his vote at Stella Maris College in Chennai. Actor Gautham Ram Karthik also voted at the same polling station. Actor S Ajith Kumar cast his vote at a polling station in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai, as several prominent personalities joined voters across the state in the electoral process.

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.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
IIT Director's point about Viksit Bharat 2047 is crucial. Education and health should be the top priorities for any government, regardless of party. Hope the elected MLAs focus on these.
R
Rahul R
The entry of TVK and Vijay makes this election very interesting. It's no longer just DMK vs AIADMK. A third front could really change the dynamics. Excited to see the results!
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Meera T
While celebrity voting gets coverage, I hope the media also highlights the issues of common voters - water, jobs, and infrastructure. That's what the election should really be about.
D
David E
Observing from abroad, the scale of Indian elections is always astounding. Over 5.7 crore voters in one state! The logistical effort by the Election Commission deserves praise.
A
Anjali F
Respectfully, I feel the article focuses too much on personalities and not enough on the actual political manifestos and what each alliance is promising for the state's development.

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