"People unhappy with BJP, will vote overwhelmingly for the INDIA alliance": Congress' Karti P Chidambaram

Speaking to ANI, Karti P Chidambaram said, "People are very unhappy with the BJP-led central government and people will vote out the BJP government and they will overwhelmingly vote for the INDIA alliance in Tamil Nadu... Tamil Nadu is voting decisively against the BJP and in favour of DMK-led Congress alliance."

On being questioned about the Prime Minister candidate from the alliance, the candidate from Sivaganga constituency said that the alliance will make a choice on the PM after the elections.

Expressing his views on the electoral bonds, the Congress leader said that he demands an independent enquiry by three retired Supreme Court judges. "He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) can give as many spins as he wants but there has been a clear quid pro quo established with electoral bonds and the donations which the BJP has gotten. In fact, I am demanding an independent inquiry by three retired Supreme Court judges to go into the quid pro quo with electoral bonds... Electoral bonds don't clean up the electoral system."

Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Friday across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories as the mega seven-phase electoral exercise commenced at 7:00 am. Voters will exercise the franchise until 6:00 pm.

All 39 seats of Tamil Nadu will go to the polls today. Sivaganga will witness the poll battle among BJP's Devanathan Yadav, Congress' Karti Chidambaram, and AIADMK's A Xavier.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposition parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power.

According to the data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), a total of 1.87 lakh polling stations have been set up, while 18 lakh personnel have been deployed across the 102 constituencies going to the polls. (ANI)