TN records 35% polling till noon

A local functionary of DMK was today stabbed to death near a polling booth in Dindigul Lok Sabha constituency, even as over 35 per cent of the 4.16 crore electorate used their franchise till noon in Tamil Nadu.      

Local DMK secretary, Thangavel, was killed at Pappanampatti in Dindigul parliamentary seat by a former associate near a polling booth over an old enmity, police said      

Tension gripped the area following the incident but situation was soon brought under control, they added.      

In Chennai Central constituency, supporters of DMK's Dayanidhi Maran and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi's (MMK) Hyder Ali clashed in front of a polling booth, over allegations of bogus voting, in which a man was injured and few vehicles, including that of Ali, were damaged, police said.      

In Cuddalore constituency, six persons were injured in a clash between AIADMK and DMK workers near a polling booth over allegations of money being distributed by the DMK, they said.      

Barring few incidents of clashes, polling was by and large peaceful, they added.      

As polling began, voters stood in long queues since morning, braving the summer heat, to choose their representatives to Lok Sabha from among 824 candidates in Tamil Nadu, official sources said.      

The electoral fate of Union Ministers P Chidambaram and T R Baalu, Manishankar Aiyar, M K Azhagiri, MDMK chief Vaiko, CPI state secretary D Pandian and BJP state president L Ganesan is being decided today.