- 5 hours ago
Campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu has concluded, setting the stage for a triangular contest.
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00:00Welcome, welcome to our coverage of the Tamil Nadu elections.
00:04We're kicking things off from the beautiful beautiful city of Madrid.
00:08Why are you here?
00:09What are you doing here?
00:10We are here for Tamil Nadu.
00:14Who are you going to visit?
00:16Who is there?
00:18Who is there?
00:19I can see it coming in right now.
00:25I can see the future coming in right now.
00:27This is what it's like to be in a big crowd.
00:34It's very, very hot. I'm doing everything I can to cope.
00:38Music has started. I'm gone. I can't hear anything.
00:51We're in the land of Chhetinad.
00:54What do you think will be the result of this election?
00:58Can I just talk also about, you know, your father's legacy and the pressure of carrying that forward?
01:03What really is it about Rahul Gandhi that makes him so popular in a state like Tamil Nadu?
01:07So why is Mr. Vijay fighting in two seats?
01:10The election campaign in full swing here in Tintagal.
01:16We're going to catch Kanimori next.
01:17I wanted to give this to you. It's our special 50 years edition.
01:20Oh, thank you.
01:22What is the one learning if you had to name it from your father as a politician?
01:27The decision is that the union minister is in the MLA election fight.
01:31Vinashii is tough. She's up against a union minister.
01:33There's a lot of whom I've been speaking to. Our sale hero Vijay is a great option.
01:36Are we underestimating Vijay, the DMK, the NDA, everyone?
01:40We're going to change the confidence.
01:41Even sort of soldering out the change under there.
01:43Mailapur, it's a tough contest for you. You've decided to take it head on. Why Mailapur?
01:48Another problem for you, sir. Vijay.
01:50It's been a great deal of fun. Yes, hot and hectic, but always fun to be back in my state.
01:56I hope you enjoyed our coverage. Nandri, thank you.
02:05Good evening. Hello and welcome. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today.
02:08I'm Akshita Nanda Gopal.
02:09I've shown you a glimpse of what I've been up to for the last one month in Tamil Nadu.
02:13Back in the studio. Yes, campaigning is coming to an end just about now.
02:18We'll get you those updates. Does the work end? Absolutely not.
02:22Back in the studio because we're continuing to get you all the action on the Tamil Nadu elections.
02:26Let's begin with the headlines before we get you the latest on campaigning coming to a close.
02:35Super showdown in Tamil Nadu on last day of campaigning.
02:39Karge calls Prime Minister Modi terrorist and later clarifies says meant to say Modi terrorizing.
02:45BJP demands apology, says 140 crore Indians have been insulted.
02:55Vijay's fiery response to Stalin's actor jibe says, I don't do drama in politics like you do.
03:01Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin had mocked Vijay and called him a non-serious politician.
03:11Campaigning ends for phase one polls in Bengal Union Home Minister.
03:14Amit Shah goes all guns blazing against TMC, says we built Ram Mandir and Mamta wants to build Babri Masjid.
03:21Also vows to bring UCC in Bengal.
03:28Sexist misogynistic remark by Congress back to MP Papu Yadav says women enter politics via the room of male netas
03:36and 90% of women simply cannot enter politics.
03:40Bihar Women's Panel issues notice to Papu Yadav.
03:48And in international news, 24 hours to go for ceasefire deadline.
03:52Round two of Islamabad talks in jeopardy.
03:54Delegations led by VP Vance yet to reach Pakistan.
03:57Iran says no team en route to Pakistan for talks just yet.
04:05Trump takes hard lines, says will not blink, says won't end blockade until deal with Iran.
04:11Trump says under no pressure to end the war, claims that there have been multiple ceasefire violations by Iran.
04:35It's 6.03 on the clock, which means officially campaigning has come to an end in Tamil Nadu.
04:41The last many months has been marked by a high voltage campaign, by nonstop canvassing, political attacks, controversies, you name
04:49it.
04:49It's all played out in this election season in Tamil Nadu.
04:53But it's curtains down on the campaign.
04:55Effectively, what does that mean?
04:56That it's over to the voter of Tamil Nadu to take their pick.
05:00In 48 hours from now, the first vote will be cast and Tamil Nadu will have its say on who
05:07they choose.
05:08Is it the DMK, the AIA-DMK, is it the DVK or any other regional party in Tamil Nadu?
05:15It's been a very, very interesting election.
05:17Many argue, unlike any other, that Tamil Nadu has seen in the last many decades with the entry of a
05:22new player in Vijay.
05:24And the DMK and AIA-DMK are also changing up their strategy in the last few months.
05:29So we'll know ultimately what the people have to say April 23rd, which is the day after tomorrow on Thursday,
05:34is V-Day, voting day.
05:36And then, of course, on May 4th is when we'll know what the people have had to say in Tamil
05:41Nadu.
05:42But I want to bring in my colleagues on the ground in Chennai.
05:45I'm back in the studio, but they're still at it in the Chennai heat, getting us all of those updates.
05:50They've been tracking the last few campaigns that have taken place as well.
05:54High-voltage campaigns, because every party knows fully now what's at stake.
05:57I've got Pramod Madhav, Apoorva Jai Chandran, Anagar Keshav and Nagar Chandwarkanath joining me on this broadcast.
06:04Vanakam, all of you, I know politicians will be heaving a sigh of relief because their campaign hectic schedule comes
06:10to an end.
06:10Not so much for us because it continues for the next few weeks.
06:14Pramod, I'd like to begin with you. Our election, Basha, as we call you. How's it been, Pramod?
06:19What's the mood looking like as campaigning comes to an end?
06:25Well, definitely Singaporean Aksheta. And you could see this is how the campaign has come to end right now.
06:29This is like what has left behind after what Wadidhi Stalin was over here.
06:33He finished his campaign by around 6 p.m. exactly on time. He came to the tripling game.
06:37He very kindly said that he was greeted in such manner with all kind of garlands and everything.
06:40He clearly said that vote on 23rd of April. Just vote first.
06:46Whom do you want to vote for? Those things are entirely different. But first vote.
06:49And so we saw a lot of crowd at this point. And finally, everything has come to an end.
06:53But on the other side, very clearly, just like you mentioned, this election could be a three frontier election.
06:57The important aspect is that like a similar kind of election we observed in 2011 as well.
07:02Vijay Khan played a very important factor. In 2016, it was the Makal Nala Kourtini, which was Vijay Khan,
07:07Vaiko, VCK and such. But most of the people who are with Makal Nala Kourtini are with DMK right now.
07:12And that is considered as the chief minister, MK, Stalin's strength.
07:15I have to reiterate once again, Akshita. On the last day of the campaigning, the chief minister went ahead and
07:19reiterated the statement that Stalin is more dangerous than Karnanadi when it comes to protecting the interests of the state.
07:26That is how he has apparently finished his campaign here, Akshita.
07:30Okay, interesting. An interesting campaign that we witnessed from every side.
07:34Because, you know, not just because of the change in political players, the factors, et cetera,
07:39but also because you see so much more playing out on digital, on social media,
07:42which has been a very interesting aspect to track in this election as well.
07:46But let me also bring in Nagarjun Dwarkanath, who has also been in Chennai camping there for the last many
07:52weeks,
07:53spoke to Malik Arjun Kharki earlier today as well.
07:55Naga, the question that's being asked right now is how confident the DMK alliance is in the face of new
08:01challenges,
08:02in the face of anti-incumbency.
08:08Both Congress Party and the DMK alliance seem to be quite confident of coming back to power.
08:13Remember, DMK hasn't come back to power.
08:15It was only the AI-DMK in the 70s.
08:17But this time around, they want to beat that history and come back to power.
08:20I spoke to people within the Congress Party and the DMK that they are saying that they have got confidence,
08:25because it's a three-way fight.
08:27Off record, they are agreeing about the Vijay factor, that Vijay would be a vote-cutter.
08:31They are unsure about whose vote he is cutting,
08:33but because of him, its advantage DMK is what they feel,
08:38because a lot of anti-income-y votes is largely going towards Vijay,
08:41is what DMK internally, the gossip is within the Congress also.
08:45So, they are hopeful, they are confident that Vijay would help them sail through.
08:49On the other hand, Akshita, AI-DMK also feels the same,
08:52that wherever there would be tough competition in a bipolar fight,
08:55they feel that if it's a tripolar fight,
08:57AI-DMK's advantage is what NDA is also hoping.
09:01While Vijay, we heard him speak just hours before,
09:04saying that you vote for anyone, it's the vote for BJP or the ND,
09:07and he's also confident of bringing in a change.
09:10So, all the alliances are hoping that they would come to power,
09:12but at the end of the day, there would be just one big alliance that would win,
09:17but we'll have to wait and see on May 4th what would be the results,
09:20the fate of the netas will be decided then.
09:23But I feel on the ground, Akshita, we are here for a big, big surprise,
09:27and things what we have seen in the history would occur this summer.
09:30You can't leave us with a line like that.
09:32What kind of a surprise? Define surprise.
09:38Well, I feel that there might be some hung assembly because of large support of Vijay,
09:45people who are voting for AI-DMK and DMK are showing their affection
09:51or their affiliation towards Vijay.
09:53I think Vijay has stuck a cord with both DMK followers and AI-DMK followers,
09:58at least in the urban pockets, and I think the seed conversion is a big question.
10:02That's the reason I said it might be a big surprise, but I feel my gut is that
10:05whenever I've spoken to Vijay, people, they are talking about Vijay with a smile on the face.
10:10You're sticking your neck out on that one, Naga, but Pramod, do you agree?
10:13Do you think so too, that we could be in for a big surprise?
10:15Tamil Nadu is known for giving very clear mandates, by the way.
10:22Akshita, one thing I've seen after reporting from the state of Tamil Nadu is that
10:25Tamil Nadu is definitely known for giving a surprise as a surprise to somebody
10:29who is actually believing that this is going to happen.
10:31So, very clearly, in the state of Tamil Nadu, yes, Vijay is playing a very important factor,
10:34but remember, this is a fight between face value and star value.
10:39What will translate to the ground about the kind of welfare schemes that have been provided,
10:43that have been clearly actually implemented on the ground that is benefiting the people,
10:47or a star value who is going to promise that they are going to bring the stars and heavens to
10:51the ground,
10:51that we will know on 4th of May.
10:54But I will definitely say that there is going to be a good amount of vote cutting.
10:58Still, the giants will remain giants, Akshita, not easy to slay them.
11:03Okay, interesting. Anagar, I'll bring you in because you had a conversation just about 30 minutes ago
11:07with Piyush Goyal, the Tamil Nadu BGP election in charge.
11:11The NDA repeatedly saying we're confident.
11:14Much like the DMK, they're saying, Vijay, not much of an impact, but we will ensure that we win.
11:19What really has the AIA-DMK changed in the election strategy this time around
11:23to ensure that their traditional strongholds remain exactly that, their strongholds?
11:32In fact, this time we saw EPS have a huge campaign start from day one.
11:35They're going to give out a fridge.
11:37That seems to be the main selling point that the AIA-DMK has.
11:41EPS also has said many, many times that Vijay is nothing but an actor
11:44and he can't really cut votes.
11:46So that seems to be the main point.
11:48But apart from that, we saw big, big changes also come in, in the AIA-DMK
11:52as part of its election strategy.
11:53We saw big wigs like Sengotian get removed from the party.
11:57We saw attempts with Chashikala didn't really reconcile.
12:00And then now we have TTV Dhinakaran, who did not contest with AIA-DMK 21,
12:06but this time has decided to join hands.
12:08So a lot of changes in terms of strategy in the AIA-DMK clan
12:12as compared to what happened in 2021.
12:13So it's very interesting how elections are going to turn out for AIA-DMK
12:17because last time they had won 66 seats.
12:21This time, Medhapadi Parani Swami says that they are going to single-handedly
12:24cross the simple majority mark of 118.
12:28Will that really happen?
12:29In fact, Union Minister Piyush Gould also exudes the same amount of confidence.
12:33No, so the AIA-DMK seems to be confident.
12:35To whoever has spoken, they seem to suggest that the 2021 result,
12:38it will be flipped in the sense that 130 plus will be the AIA-DMK in this scenario.
12:4370 plus would be the DMK.
12:44That's what they are predicting would be the result of this election.
12:48Apoorva Jaichandran has been based in Chennai for the last four months.
12:51The battle for Chennai is something everyone's talking about, Apoorva,
12:54because this has been a DMK bastion, at least if you look at what happened in 2021.
12:58How confident is the DMK that they'll manage to hold on to this?
13:01Because one, you've got the TVK eyeing all of their votes,
13:05eyeing in fact their urban votes,
13:08and then you've got the AIA-DMK changing up their strategy in some seats in Chennai.
13:16Well, in fact, if you do see, the DMK does maintain the rhetoric,
13:19which is that Timuka's cote is Chennai.
13:22That's the same rhetoric that they are continuing to maintain.
13:26In fact, Chief Minister Stalin, we just completed his last and final campaign
13:30ahead of 2026 elections here at Kolatora.
13:33It's a massive crowd that had gathered here as well.
13:35And even at the last moment, he said this is still continuing to be a fight
13:40between Tamil Nadu versus NDA, Tamil Nadu versus Delhi.
13:44And that's the stand that DMK wants to be continuing on.
13:49And in fact, he says all of these are the schemes that we have given for the public.
13:53We are sure that the public and are confident quite in fact
13:56that the public will go ahead and give us the numbers that we want.
13:59And not only that, he's not talking about messages.
14:01He's not talking about numbers.
14:03M.K. Stalin is not talking about what might be a possibility.
14:06But M.K. Stalin, there was a surety in his voice when he ended his campaign today,
14:10when he says that, yes, we will meet you back on May 4th.
14:13We will come back to power and we will meet you right then.
14:16That's the kind of message that DMK wants to send across.
14:19Initially, when you talk about TDK's new entrance there,
14:23you also see that this party has just been garnering a lot more attention right now.
14:27Vijay, even as he concluded his last and final speech ahead of the elections today,
14:32he's also gone ahead and made some very strong comments as well.
14:35He spoke of how he's constantly being mocked for being an actor
14:38and says at least I'm not acting and doing drama in politics.
14:40That's what the other political parties are doing.
14:42So it gives you a sense of how intense the campaign and the fight has been.
14:46But I request all of our reporters to stay with me.
14:48We're going to continue decoding what we've seen in the last few weeks.
14:52This team that's joining me right now on the broadcast has travelled the farthest,
14:56the widest across Tamil Nadu.
14:58So better than anyone sitting in a studio giving you a gyan,
15:02they'll be able to tell you what's really playing out on the ground.
15:05But let's also talk about the big controversy that broke out today in Tamil Nadu,
15:09last day of campaigning.
15:10And guess what?
15:11There's a huge controversy over a comment made by Congress Chief Malik Arjun Karge.
15:15He spoke on Prime Minister Modi, called him a terrorist,
15:19and then right after that clarified saying,
15:21no, I was saying Prime Minister Modi terrorizes using agencies.
15:26India today spoke exclusively with the Congress Chief Malik Arjun Karge,
15:30gave him a chance to respond to the BJP lashing out over his comment.
15:35Listen in to that exclusive conversation.
15:43In the press conference, yes, you made a comment comparing the Prime Minister to a terrorist.
15:47Could you clarify what exactly did you want to say?
15:49No, no, I never see.
15:53My intention is that they are terrorizing the political parties, leaders and other supporters.
16:07with this, their institutions, like income tax, like CBI, like CBC, like using all criminal laws,
16:27they are threatening the people.
16:31So I said they are terrorizing.
16:35But let's tell you exactly what the Congress Chief said earlier that sparked this controversy.
16:40It was a press conference in Chennai where he was lashing out of Prime Minister Modi,
16:44took things a bit too far when he referred to him as a terrorist,
16:47while targeting the AIA-DMQ with alliance with the BJP.
16:50Facing sharp backlash, moments later, Malik Arjun Karge clarified,
16:54saying that he didn't mean to call Prime Minister Modi a terrorist,
16:57but rather that the Prime Minister terrorizes political opponents using central agencies.
17:03The BJP has lashed out.
17:05The likes of Piyush Goyal have called this, again, the exposing of the mindset of the Congress.
17:12Listen in to what Karge said, his clarification and their BGP's reaction.
17:16How this AIA-DMQ people who themselves put the photo of Anadurai and the party itself is Anadurai,
17:29how can they join with Modi, who is a terrorist?
17:38My intention is that they are terrorizing the political parties, leaders and other supporters
17:53with their institutions like income tax, like CBI, like CBC, like using all criminal laws.
18:13They are threatening the people. So I said they are terrorizing.
18:19It is the mindset of the Gandhi family. It is the mindset of the Congress party.
18:25Over the last so many years, you must have heard them again and again,
18:31attack the Prime Minister personally, attack his mother, attack his caste.
18:38One leader of the Congress party called him a niche admi,
18:43alluring to his humble background and his OBC status.
18:47In their heart, they cannot accept that the people of India, for three times in a row,
18:54elected him the Prime Minister of India.
18:56They think the right to be the Prime Minister is only with the Gandhi family or their nominee.
19:02They just cannot digest this defeat three times.
19:05The Stalin family also only cares for one family.
19:09These are family-run private limited companies.
19:12And these personal attacks on Prime Minister Modi are a regular feature.
19:18What was in their heart has come onto their mouth.
19:21They can retract and try to create an alibi for what they said.
19:26But the fact is that Malik Arjun Kharge is only representing the thinking of the Gandhi family and the Congress
19:34party.
19:36What makes this election in Tamil Nadu so interesting and unlike any other?
19:42A couple of factors that we've highlighted for you,
19:45and this is what I've noticed particularly travelling through different pockets of Tamil Nadu for the last one month.
19:50The fact that you've got a new entrant, that's the biggest factor.
19:53The V factor, the X factor, whatever you'd like to call him.
19:56Vijay's entry with sizable support that cannot be denied has what's made this election so interesting
20:02because you just don't know what will be his impact.
20:04You also don't know who he's going to hit.
20:08Is it going to be the DNK or the AIATMK?
20:10There's no clear indication simply because there's no particular vote bank.
20:14So whose votes will be cut? We don't know the answer.
20:17By how much? We don't know the answer.
20:19Which is what makes this election so interesting.
20:22The traditional caste vote banks are being redefined.
20:25We saw indications of that in 2021.
20:27The fact that you had some Vanias, you had some Tevers moving over to the DMK-led alliance as well.
20:33This time will that change?
20:35The AIATMK is working hard to ensure that these caste blocks come back to them.
20:39So those, in fact, factors also will play a big role on how much the AIATMK is able to get
20:45back some of those traditional votes.
20:46As far as the DMK is concerned, urban, like Chennai, minority vote bank, Christian, Muslim has always been their stronghold,
20:54their vote bank.
20:54However, this time with Vijay's entry, he's eyeing exactly these vote banks, minorities and urban.
21:00So then what happens to the DMK?
21:02Will they be managing to hold on to their vote banks is the question.
21:07It's no longer a personality driven contest.
21:10Why am I saying that, especially when you've got a superstar in the fray?
21:13Because you didn't really see a Stalin versus EPS battle.
21:16It's always been all sort of political symbols in Tamil Nadu that doesn't change this time.
21:22But in a state that's seen a Jailalita, seen an MGR, seen a Kalainir, this time it's driven by a
21:27whole lot more than just a Stalin versus EPS.
21:30There are issues to talk about.
21:32There are caste equations to talk about.
21:34There's all sorts of math involved, which is what makes this Tamil Nadu election so interesting.
21:42All right, let's get you now a breaking update that's coming in.
21:46As campaigning has come to a close in Tamil Nadu, you've got an appeal from Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M
21:50.K. Stalin,
21:51who's taken to social media to now put the focus on ensuring that every citizen in Tamil Nadu goes out,
21:58exercises their franchise, casts their vote.
22:01Chief Minister Stalin has issued a public appeal saying, think and cast your water on April 23rd.
22:08He says, we've properly carried out our responsibility, referring to his own term as Chief Minister says,
22:15we've done everything we can for the people of Tamil Nadu.
22:17It's now over to the voter to decide who they want to vote for.
22:21And while Chief Minister Stalin makes a pitch for the DMK, he highlights and stresses as Chief Minister on the
22:27need for every citizen to come out and vote.
22:35The end of the show is the end of the year after the end of the year.
22:39The whole citizen and the economy of Nepalидs are a官 um92nd both in the year.
22:51And it's in the year after the end of the year and the days of the year.
22:53Theaneous introduction of the Keter is a proof that these fight are away from the period of the month.
22:56It is the right time to look to the end of the year and the day after the month.
22:58The people remain on the year after the month.
22:59Thank you, Tamilnadu.
23:02My name is Tamilnadu.
23:06My name is Tamilnadu.
23:07My name is Tamilnadu.
23:10My name is Tamilnadu.
23:11My name is Tamilnadu.
23:12My name is Tamilnadu.
23:18Okay, so that's Tamilnadu.
23:21Signing her off.
23:23Who will the voters of Tamilnadu decide
23:2548 hours from now
23:27on Thursday starting 7am
23:29I will be live getting you all of
23:31those updates from our studios
23:33of what's happening on the ground
23:35and what the people of Tamilnadu have to say.
23:37The politicians have had their say.
23:39It's over to the voter now.
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