2019 Lok Sabha polls: One among others — VVIPs wait their turn in queue
Chennai: VVIPs stood in queues to vote, coming to the booth fairly early in the morning with families and waiting patiently for their turn without making any fuss.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami even walked a couple of hundred meters on the road to reach his booth at Salem, while Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam voted in Theni, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan cast his vote in Nagercoil. DMK chief M. K. Stalin, accompanied by his wife, voted here. Besides film stars Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Ajith, Surya and Dhanush are some of the prominent personalities who rubbed shoulders with the commoner and posed for selfies.
Stalin' s son Udayanidhi accompanied by his sister and; Stalin's son-in-law Sabarisan, too exercised their franchise here. Immediately after voting, Udhayanidhi said he could sense visible enthusiasm among voters who are keen to usher in a change of government. DMK's Dayanidhi Maran and Kanimozhi and Karti Chidambaram of Congress also voted.
After casting his vote, Mr Radhakrishnan told reporters "this is a massive democratic festival which will decide the fate of India. I have exercised my franchise...A silent revolution is happening."
AIADMK leader and State Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said 13 per cent voting in the morning "is a joyous thing."
"This shows there is a wave for Amma and MGR," he said, and exuded confidence that the AIADMK-BJP combine would emerge victorious.
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader T. T. V. Dhinakaran alleged "malfunctioning of EVMs is an achievement of the Modi government."
CPI national secretary D. Raja expressed confidence that people were voting for the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu as they wanted to see the end of the BJP government at the Centre.
While senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram voted at Kandanur in Sivaganga district, BJP's State president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararjan, DMDK chief Vijayakanth, his wife and party treasurer Premalatha cast their vote in the city while Pattali Makkal Katchi chief Dr. S Ramadoss voted in Tindivanam.
