LS polls: TN CM M K Stalin, Rajinikanth among first to cast their vote

Chennai: A slew of political leaders and celebrities exercised their franchise in their respective polling stations across Tamil Nadu on Friday for the Lok Sabha polls.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi cast his vote at a polling booth here while Chief Minister M K Stalin, former Chief Ministers, O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami and leaders of political parties exercised their franchise.

Ravi and Stalin urged people to turn up enthusiastically and do their democratic duty.

Stalin, his wife Durga Stalin, DMK leader Kanimozhi (contesting from Thoothukudi) and BJP leaders L Murugan (Nilgiris candidate) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai) voted here.

Former CMs, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam cast their vote in their home districts of Salem and Theni respectively.

Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan voted at Madurai. In Chennai, veteran Communist leader R Nallakannu, and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin cast their votes.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai voted at his native village in Karur district and Naam Tamilar Katchi top leader Seeman at Neelankarai in Chennai. PMK's Dharmapuri candidate Sowmiya Anbumani voted at Tindivanam.

Veteran actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan, who campaigned for the DMK-Congress alliance in the LS polls voted at Teynampet in Chennai.

Celebrities including Rajinikanth, Ilaiyaraaja and Ajith Kumar were among the among the early voters.

Actors Trisha, Dhanush, noted villain Mansoor Ali Khan who is contesting as an independent in Vellore, lyricist Vairamuthu and many tinsel town celebrities also cast their votes in their respective polling stations.

Single phase polling was underway from 7 AM in all the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

In neighbouring Puducherry, AINRC founder and Chief Minister N Rangasamy arrived at a polling booth on a two-wheeler and cast his vote.

Meanwhile, two elderly voters in Salem died after arriving at the polling booth to cast their votes and a report has been sought on the matter, state Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said.