The Aryavarth Express:
Chennai: Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Nivedith Alva, secretary of the Indian National Congress in the state, expressed strong confidence in the victory of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance.
Alva stated that the Congress-DMK alliance remains united and is fully prepared for the elections scheduled on April 23. “The alliance is strong, and we will put our best foot forward. We are confident that under the leadership of M. K. Stalin, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi, the government will return to power,” he said.
His remarks follow an appeal by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who urged party leaders and workers to intensify campaign efforts. Addressing district secretaries at the party headquarters, Stalin stressed that the DMK must aim to win every constituency it contests. He noted that only a few weeks remain before polling and that the party has already taken the lead in election preparations.
Stalin also highlighted that the DMK has gained significant public support over the past five years due to its governance and welfare initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that polling in Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase on April 23, with vote counting scheduled for May 4. The Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect as the election process begins for the 234-member Assembly, whose tenure ends on May 10.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that:
The last date for filing nominations is April 6
Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 7
The final date for withdrawal of candidature is April 9
Voting will be conducted across 2.19 lakh polling stations in four states and one Union Territory, with around 25 lakh election officials deployed.
According to the final electoral roll, Tamil Nadu has a total electorate of 5.67 crore voters, including 2.77 crore male voters, 2.89 crore female voters, and 7,617 third-gender voters. The electorate also includes 12.51 lakh first-time voters aged 18–19, 4.63 lakh persons with disabilities, and 3.99 lakh senior citizens aged 85 and above.
