Assembly Elections: 'Will Know In 2 Days,' Says Jayalalithaa; DMK Keeps Eye On Voter Turnout

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa drove in through a special entrance into Chennai's Stella Maris College to vote on Monday morning, accompanied by her companion Sasikala. They both wore green, the ruling AIADMK's colour, Ms Jayalalithaa's sari trimmed in maroon, the combination she has favoured on most of her recent public appearances.

After casting her vote, Ms Jayalalithaa would only say, "In two days time, the people's verdict will be known." She hopes to return to power, a feat unprecedented in the last three decades. Tamil Nadu has alternately voted Ms Jayalalithaa's AIADMK and her arch rival M Karunanidhi's DMK every five years since the last three decades.

Mr Karunanidhi, 91, was less circumspect when he voted about two km away at a booth in Gopalpuram. Mr Karunanidhi said he was confident the DMK-Congress combine would form the next government in Tamil Nadu.
 "We are positive we will get enough to form government," said Mr Karunanidhi. His daughter M Kanimozhi was even more upbeat as she voted at a different booth in Chennai, soon after news that over 18 per cent had voted in the state by 9 am.

As the polls closed, 73.76 per cent people had voted in the state -- a drop from the 78.3 per cent voting recorded  in 2011. A higher voter turnout is seen as a vote for change and Tamil Nadu has traditionally recorded a high turnout.

The low figure, however, could be partly a fallout of the rains -- parts of the state witnessed bad weather, which slowed down the polling, especially in Southern Tamil Nadu. Despite appeals by political parties, the Election Commission had refused to give extra time for voting after 6 pm.

In Chennai, big stars turned out early to vote; among the earliest was superstar Rajinikanth, who is Ms Jayalalithaa's neighbour in the capital's Poes Garden and voted at the same booth as she later did. Actors Kamal Hassan, Ajith, Trisha, Siddharth, Sundar. C and Kushboo, who is also a politician, also voted.
 The ruling AIADMK has tied up with some smaller parties. The DMK has an alliance with the Congress, two Muslim parties and some smaller outfits.

For the first time there is a third front, led by the DMDK's Captain Vijayakanth, which includes the Left parties and Vaiko's MDMK. Dr Anbumani Ramadoss' PMK is contesting all seats on its own, while the BJP has tied up with a few smaller parties.

No rainbow coalition to consolidate the opposition vote could mean advantage Jayalalithaa.

Votes will be counted in Tamil Nadu on Thursday May 19, along with those in four other states. Polling has been deferred in two seats after complaints that voters were being bribed.