Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: As Tamil Nadu goes to poll on Thursday, the state is slated to witness a tough battle between the ruling AIADMK and DMK for the single-phase voting on 39 Lok Sabha seats.
While the ruling AIADMK will be battling to retain majority, the DMK is leaving no stones unturned to make a comeback.
Led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK has been winning elections since the 2011 Assembly polls. With ambitions to be a part of the national politics, Jayalalithaa is hoping to continue with her winning streak.
The party`s campaign will include several pro-poor schemes launched by it including subsidised canteens and cheaper drinking water in the elections in a bid to garner votes.
Meanwhile, DMK has been attacking the ruling AIADMK on issues like acute drinking water shortage, sale of bottled water and power shortage.
The DMK now faces a tough challenge of keeping a united front and bringing the two rival brothers together.
Apart from AIADMK and DMK, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking on the popularity of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and could win majority in some of the seats after entering into alliance with six political parties and turning out to be a third alternative for voters.
Prominent leaders in the contest include DMK`s former union ministers-- Dayanidhi Maran (Chennai Central), A Raja (Nilgiri SC), both facing corruption charges in 2G scam, TR Baalu (Thanjavur) and S Jagatrakshakan (Sriperumbudur) and TKS Elangovan from Chennai South, which has the highest number of 42 candidates.
Former Union minister Mani Shankar Iyer of Congress is fighting from Mayiladuthurai in Cauvery delta, while PMK`s Anbumani Ramadoss and his NDA ally Vaiko of MDMK are testing their fortunes from Dharmapuri and Virudhunagar respectively.
The electoral authorities have made arrangements for trouble free voting by 5.50 crore eligible voters in about 60,817 polling stations in the state, where 845 candidates, including 55 women aspirants are testing their fortunes.
While AIADMK is contesting all the 39 seats, CPI and CPM are together contesting 18 seats on their own. DMK has fielded candidates in 35 constituencies and allotted four seats to its allies.
While BJP will be fighting elections on seven seats, DMDK is contesting on 14 seats, followed by eight seats by PMK and seven by MDMK.
(With PTI Inputs)
