Chennai, Apr 21 (PTI) The high-intensity election campaign in Tamil Nadu ended on Tuesday after sparks flew on issues ranging from delimitation to corruption and the central leadership's alleged control
over state politicians.
The ruling DMK said the electoral battle was a fight between Tamil Nadu and "Delhi-NDA" while the AIADMK slammed "family rule" in the state, as Chief Minister MK Stalin, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and TVK chief Vijay, among others, crisscrossed the length and breadth of 234 assembly constituencies over a month to reach out to voters.
"During the past five years, people placed trust in me as the chief minister, and I rose to the occasion by dispensing welfare assistance and even defending the state's interests," Stalin said.
"During the assembly election in 2021, people said 'Stalin is more dangerous than Kalaignar'. I can never be compared with him. I addressed him as the leader more often than I called him father. One thing comes to my mind when they say so. I will always be a danger to those who want to deceive Tamil Nadu and want to hinder its growth," he said in a video message.
Palaniswami, who heads the NDA in the state, made a fervent call to the people to oust the "corrupt DMK regime" and end "family rule" in the state.
Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal cautioned the people of Tamil Nadu to be "wary" of the NDA, saying if by mistake they voted that alliance to power, then it will undo Stalin's good work in no time.
Citing his experience in Delhi, the former chief minister accused the BJP of undoing all the good work of his government.
"Last year in Delhi, people voted for the BJP, and now they got fed up with the BJP government. All the good work we have done in education, health, infrastructure, road and electricity and water has been undone by the BJP. So, by mistake, if people vote for BJP or NDA or AIADMK, then all the good work of Chief Minister M K Stalin in the last five years will be undone in no time," Kejriwal told reporters at the end of his two-day poll campaign on Tuesday.
The votes polled on April 23 will be counted on May 4.
The AIADMK targeted the DMK alleging dynasty and family rule, deterioration of law and order, a heavy debt burden, alleged prevalence of drugs and the lack of safety of women and children.
The campaign was marked by acrimonious debates between the DMK and AIADMK on key issues, even as new entrant, TVK chief Vijay, held public engagements that saw impressive turnouts.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi showed photos of Palaniswami falling at the feet of V K Sasikala, the confidante of late CM Jayalalithaa. Palaniswami hit back by levelling allegations pertaining to the deputy CM's personal life.
Towards the end of the campaign, delimitation and the women's reservation issue and the defeat of the constitutional amendment bill became the big talking points.
The DMK and AIADMK fronts blamed each other and Stalin burnt a copy of the delimitation bill and dubbed it a "black law", alleging it seeks to make the Tamil people "refugees" in their own land. Later, Stalin alleged that Modi's attempt to use women's quota as weapon backfired on the PM.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the AIADMK was just a mask and the BJP wanted to install a 'puppet CM' in the state to listen to Modi. Stalin said the AIADMK was in "Delhi's control" and that the polls were a "Tamil Nadu versus NDA-Delhi" battle.
Palaniswami claimed that the DMK hatched a plan to split his party but it was successfully negated. He said the assembly elections were a contest between a "single family" that survives by "exploiting" Tamil Nadu and the people of the state.
Police said security arrangements have been tightened in sensitive areas.
While the DMK is contesting 164 seats (out of 234) and its allies are fighting it out in 70, the AIADMK is contesting 169 seats and its allies 65. What makes the election more interesting this time is the presence of actor Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in the fray across all constituencies.
The ruling DMK roped in actor-politician Kamal Haasan, who heads the Makkal Needhi Maiam, to campaign against Vijay. Former film director Seeman-led Naam Tamilar Katchi is also contesting all 234 seats, thus making the poll battle a keenly watched quadrangular contest.
A total of 4,023 candidates are in the fray and 5,73,43,291 electors will get the chance to exercise their franchise. PTI JSP VGN KH SA SAP
SAP
