Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan and his daughter Shruti Haasan were among the first to cast their votes early on Thursday morning in Chennai.

In the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019, as many as 95 constituencies in 12 states and Union Territories of India are going to polls on Thursday, April 18.

Thirty-eight of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu are going to the polls today. On 16 April, President Ram Nath Kovind Election on the recommendation of the Election Commission cancelled the election in Vellore Lok Sabha seat after huge amounts of cash were recovered from the premises of DMK leader Kathir Anand, the son of DMK treasurer Durai Murugan.

In Tamil Nadu, 13.48 per cent people had cast votes till 9 am, recording the highest turnout among the 11 states and one UT.

Kamal Haasan and Shruti Haasan cast their votes at polling station 27 at Alwarpet Corporation School in Chennai.

“Today is the day !! Vote because it matters!” Shruti tweeted.

“Vote for the change you want to see!” she said in another tweet.

The party is contesting all 39 Lok Sabha seats, including Puducherry, and by-polls to 18 assembly constituencies.

Earlier in March, the MNM announced an electoral tie-up with the lesser known Republican Party of India and allotted one Lok Sabha seat and three seats in the assembly by-elections.

In the MNM’s manifesto for the polls, Kamal Haasan promised to generate 50 lakh jobs, 100 per cent profit for farmers for their agricultural produce, wipe out poverty from Tamil Nadu and reform the existing Lokayukta Act and appoint a credible Lokayukta.

Actor turned politician Rajinikanth cast his vote at the polling station in Stella Maris College, in Chennai Central parliamentary constituency.

Rajinikanth had earlier announced that he will not contest the coming Lok Sabha elections nor will he support any political party.

Congress leader P Chidambaram cast his vote at a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga.

DMK President MK Stalin cast his vote at a polling booth at SIET College in Teynampet.

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dinakaran cast his vote at a polling station in Besant Nagar in Chennai South parliamentary constituency.