TIRUCHY: Barring a few stray incidents of violence, polling in Tiruchy Lok Sabha constituency went off peacefully on Friday. According to official data available, the voter turnout in the district stood at 67.45%. The figure is lower than the 71.80% recorded in the 2019 general election. Braving intense heat, voters turned up at their respective booths to exercise their franchise from morning.
Senior citizens thronged all the polling booths since 7 am to avoid the scorching sun. The mercury level touched a maximum of 41.3 degree Centigrade in Tiruchy on Friday. Most commercial establishments, eateries and petty shops in Tiruchy remained closed on Friday. This comes when the state government had already announced Friday a paid holiday.
Shops and other commercial establishments in residential areas also remained closed. K Sakthivel, 34, a worker at a textile shop cast his vote around 1 pm. Unlike previous elections, his owner decided to shut shop to enable two of his workers to cast their vote. “I leisurely cast my vote, as I didn’t have to go to work today. Otherwise, I would have had to complete the process before 9 am,” he added.
Out of 15.44 lakh voters in the constituency, about 10.99 lakh exercised their franchise. Female voters outnumbered males in terms of poll percentage. The turnout in Srirangam, Gandarvakottai and Pudukkottai segments was better compared to those recorded in Tiruchy West, East and Thiruverumbur constituencies. To make the experience of voting enriching, the election commission also set up model polling stations, such as those exclusive to women and disabled voters, in nine Assembly constituencies each in the district. Meanwhile, MDMK candidate Durai Vaiko expressed confidence that the INDIA bloc would sweep 40 seats.
Addressing media persons after casting his vote at the polling station in Vestry Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Durai Vaiko said that despite the state facing severe financial crunch, the chief minister introduced several welfare schemes over the past three years. Hence, the DMK-led INDIA bloc will win all the 40 constituencies of the state and Puducherry, he added. When asked about the allegations on distribution of cash for votes by an independent candidate on behalf of the MDMK, the party principal secretary termed them baseless.