Kongu Region Leads with 20% Turnout in Early Tamil Nadu Polls

Chennai: Tamil Nadu recorded a mixed voter turnout during the opening hours of the single-phase Assembly elections on Thursday. While the western Kongu region saw a brisk start with participation near 20%, the state capital and several southern districts reported a more subdued response.

Western Districts Set the Pace

The Kongu belt emerged as the frontrunner in the first two hours of polling. Tiruppur led the state with a 20.38% turnout, closely followed by:

• Namakkal: 19.83%

• Erode: 19.55%

• Salem: 19.46%

In contrast, urban centers and southern regions started slowly. Chennai registered a 16.51% turnout by 9 a.m., while Ramanathapuram recorded the state’s lowest early figure at 15.54%. Other southern districts, including Sivaganga (16.18%) and Thoothukudi (16.63%), also lagged behind the western average.

Leaders and Icons at the Booths

High-profile voters arrived early to exercise their franchise. Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin cast his vote at SIET College in Alwarpet (Mylapore constituency), accompanied by his family, including Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin.

“Tamil Nadu will win,” the Chief Minister told reporters, urging every citizen to participate in the democratic process.

From the film industry, veteran actor Prabhu Ganesan and actor Sivakarthikeyan were among the early celebrities spotted at polling booths in Chennai.

Optimism for Higher Turnout

Election officials attributed the urban lag to morning commutes and traditional voting patterns in metropolitan areas. With over 5.7 crore eligible voters, authorities expect the pace to accelerate significantly across all 234 constituencies as the day progresses.

The trends in these opening hours highlight a keen regional contest, with western Tamil Nadu currently showing the highest levels of voter enthusiasm.