Alliance talks under focus as ECI announces single-phase polling in TN on April 19

Chennai: Lok Sabha elections will be held in Tamil Nadu in a single phase on April 19.

All 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and one seat in Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 19, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced in Delhi on Saturday.

The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

The Election Commission of India will also open 24x7 control rooms in all the district magistrate's offices in the state for the smooth conduct of the polls.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK-led INDIA bloc seems to be holding an edge over the other political outfits in the state.

The principal opposition party in the state, the AIADMK, snapped ties with the BJP in September 2023, and is planning to contest the Lok Sabha elections with other parties including the PMK and the DMDK.

However, alliance talks are still in primary stages as the BJP is also reportedly trying to woo these political parties.

The BJP is also holding discussions with the expelled AIADMK leader, O. Panneerselvam (OPS), who is also a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

The BJP is eyeing the powerful Thevar vote bank of Panneerselvam, who feels the AIADMK has insulted the Thevar community by expelling him from the party.

The BJP is also wooing both the Vanniyar parties -- the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) of late Tamil actor Vijayakanth.