Campaign climax: All eyes on Election Commission

In a last ditch bid to woo the voters, candidates of various political parties, braving the searing summer heat, launched door-to-door campaign in their respective constituencies. 

Perhaps for the first time in the political and electoral history of the state, the polls would witness a six-cornered contest that has the ruling AIADMK, DMK, DMDK-led People’s Welfare Front (PWF) alliance that also included the GK Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), BJP-led front, PMK and Naam Tamizhar party of actor-director Seeman. AIADMK, led by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, singled out her arch-rival DMK in her election rallies. 

DMK, on the other hand, hit out at AIADMK of doing little for the welfare of the people. AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi also campaigned for DMK-Congress combine in the state. 

The BJP, which was going it alone with the help of some minor parties, saw its national leaders campaigning in the state. DMDK-PWF-TMC combine too criticised both DMK and AIADMK and appealed to voters to give it a chance. 

With campaigning reaching its full height, leaders of various parties met and had direct interaction with the people at various places and solicited votes for their party candidates across the state on the last day. In an interesting slip of the tongue, the ‘Mahabharat’ star Roopa Ganguly (who played Draupati character in the TV serial) was referred to as Saurav Ganguly, ex-Indian cricket captain while campaigning for the BJP nominee at Saidapet.