Chatterjee, Chidambaram, Karunanidhi among early voters

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa were some of the early voters in the fifth and final phase of Lok Sabha elections today.  

Chatterjee cast his vote in Kolkata, his first after being expelled from the CPI(M) last year, while Chidambaram exercised his franchise at a polling station in his home town Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.  

"People will vote for the programmes and schemes implemented by the UPA Government in the past five years," Chidamabaram, who is contesting for an eighth term from Sivaganga, told reporters after exercising his democratic right.  

Karunanidhi, who was brought to the polling station in a wheel chair, cast his ballot at a school near his Gopalapuram residence, while Jayalalithaa voted at the Stella Maris College which falls under Central Madras constituency.  

CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat who voted in Kolkata said she was exercising her franchise for an alternative secular government at the Centre.  

"I am standing here to vote for an alternative pro-people secular government at the Centre. That's what I am looking for," she said.

"Weather is very good and the country's political situation is also very good," Brinda said when asked how she is feeling.  

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi,  CPI-M politburo member Biman Bose also cast their ballots in Kolkata.  

The Governor exercised his franchise at a polling booth in the Treasury Building in the B B D Bag area near Raj Bhavan shortly after the polling began.  Biman Bose cast his vote at a booth near the party headquarters on Alimuddin street.         

Bose claimed a CPI-M cadre was killed in a clash at New Town on the city's outskirts early today.  

Azhagiri, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's son and DMK candidate in Madurai, cast his vote alongwith his wife at a polling booth in the temple town.  

South Indian superstar Rajinikanth cast his vote at the Stella Maris College which falls under the Central Madras constituency and said he voted to strengthen the democracy. He was accompanied by his wife Latha and daugther Soundarya.

CPI-M candidate in Madurai P Mohan claimed that his victory prospects were very bright.  

Mohan said people knew about his honesty and fair way of functioning in the last one decade.  

"People have voted for me despite money distribution, rowdyism,and political anarchy," he said.