Udhayanidhi Stalin Casts Vote in 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Expresses Confidence in DMK-INDIA Alliance Victory

Udhayanidhi Stalin, the DMK Youth Wing leader and son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, cast his vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Chennai on Friday. After voting, Udhayanidhi expressed confidence that the DMK and the Congress-led INDIA alliance will sweep the elections in the state.

"The mood of the voters in Tamil Nadu is in favor of the DMK-INDIA alliance," Udhayanidhi stated in an exclusive conversation with reporters. The single-phase polling to elect 39 Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu began on Friday and was progressing smoothly, with an estimated 51.41% voter turnout recorded until 3 PM.

Meanwhile, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who is contesting as an Independent candidate backed by the BJP-led NDA, stated that the BJP alliance will win the Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha polls.

The first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commenced on April 19, 2024, with voting taking place in 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc INDIA is aiming to oust him from power. The voting in 36 constituencies of Tamil Nadu began today, with key contenders including BJP's K Annamalai in Coimbatore and Tamilisai Soundararajan in Chennai South.

The DMK-led alliance aims to maintain its dominance, while the BJP, allied with smaller parties, seeks to expand its footprint in the state. In 2019, the DMK-led coalition secured 38 out of 39 seats, while the BJP failed to win any. This time, the BJP is contesting 23 seats, with smaller allies vying for the remaining 16. The DMK-Congress alliance has a seat-sharing arrangement, with DMK contesting 22 seats and Congress fielding candidates in 9.

Why this matters: The outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu will shape the political trajectory of the state and have broader implications for national politics. The performance of the DMK-INDIA alliance and the BJP-led NDA will be closely watched as it could impact the balance of power in the next Lok Sabha.

Several other political leaders and celebrities, including Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, former Chief Ministers O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and leaders of various political parties, also exercised their franchise across the state. The voting process was underway in all 39 constituencies of Tamil Nadu, as well as in the neighboring Union Territory of Puducherry. Tragically, two elderly voters in Salem, Tamil Nadu, passed away after arriving at the polling booth to cast their votes.

Key Takeaways

• Udhayanidhi Stalin is confident of DMK-INDIA alliance's sweep in TN Lok Sabha polls
• O Panneerselvam, backed by BJP-NDA, claims BJP alliance will win TN Lok Sabha polls
• Voting underway in 36 TN constituencies, with DMK-Congress and BJP-allies as key contenders
• DMK-INDIA alliance aims to maintain dominance, BJP seeks to expand footprint in TN
• Tragic deaths of two elderly voters reported during the voting process in Tamil Nadu