Tamil Nadu election 2026 LIVE: Record voting raises stakes in DMK-AIADMK battle, focus on results| India News

Tamil Nadu election 2026 LIVE: Tamil Nadu recorded a historic voter turnout of over 85 per cent on Thursday as polling concluded across all 234 Assembly constituencies. The high-stakes election saw a three-cornered contest between the ruling DMK alliance, the opposition AIADMK coalition, and actor-politician Vijay’s party TVK.Polling remained largely peaceful, with no major incidents reported through the day. Election officials said the turnout stood at 85.05 per cent by 6 pm, with final figures likely to inch higher as data consolidation continues.Out of 5.73 crore eligible voters, around 4.87 crore exercised their franchise. Karur district recorded the highest turnout at 91.86 per cent, while Kanyakumari saw the lowest at 75.50 per cent.The turnout marks a sharp jump compared to previous elections. In 2021, polling stood at 73.63 per cent, while the earlier high of 78.29 per cent was recorded in 2011.Parties claim momentumThe ruling DMK, which mounted an aggressive campaign focusing on issues like delimitation and targeting the AIADMK-BJP alliance, is seeking to retain power.The AIADMK, on the other side, campaigned heavily against the state government over rising debt and alleged deterioration in law and order, aiming for a comeback.Both camps expressed confidence of victory as voting concluded.DMK president and chief minister MK Stalin said, "Tamil Nadu will win", adding that people’s mandate upholds “the highest values of Constitution such as democracy, secularism, states' rights and social Justice,” calling it a protective shield for the state.AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami also struck a confident note, asserting that his party would return to power.This election also saw the emergence of Vijay-led TVK as a new force, alongside Seeman’s NTK, which has been active for over 15 years. Both parties added a fresh dimension to what has traditionally been a bipolar contest.With polling complete and a record turnout on the books, attention now turns to counting day, when it will become clear whether the DMK retains power, the AIADMK stages a comeback, or new players manage to reshape Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.