Chennai, April 23 (IANS) Tension prevailed at a polling booth in Chennai’s Mylapore Assembly constituency on Thursday after a confrontation broke out between BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan and DMK polling agents over alleged voting irregularities.

The incident occurred at a polling station located in Alwarpet, where Tamilisai raised objections, alleging that certain individuals were allowed to cast their votes without proper identification.

Her claims were immediately contested by DMK agents present at the booth, leading to a heated verbal exchange between the two sides.

As the situation escalated, police personnel intervened and dispersed the crowd to restore order, ensuring that polling resumed without further disruption.

Meanwhile, senior election officials and political leaders exercised their franchise across the state as polling progressed in a single phase for all 234 Assembly constituencies.

Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, Archana Patnaik, cast her vote at a polling station in Virugambakkam, Maduravoyal constituency, and later reviewed polling arrangements.

Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) President, G.K. Vasan, voted at a polling booth in Alwarpet Higher Secondary School in Chennai, urging citizens to participate actively in the democratic process.

In Sivaganga district, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram cast his vote in Karaikudi and lauded the enthusiasm shown by young voters.

Addressing reporters later, Chidambaram said he was encouraged by the participation of first-time voters and expressed hope that they would vote for stability, development, and welfare.

He cautioned against voting based on “imaginary ideas” and stressed the importance of electing a government committed to governance and progress.

The high-stakes Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are witnessing a multi-cornered contest, with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance seeking to retain power, while the AIADMK-led NDA, along with other parties, aims to unseat the incumbent government.

Polling has been largely peaceful across the state, barring isolated incidents such as the clash in Mylapore. Authorities have deployed extensive security arrangements to ensure free and fair elections, with officials maintaining close vigilance throughout the day.

—IANS

aal/rad