Campaigning Ends in Madurantakam, Dharapuram Ahead of October 6 Bypolls

The final canvassing ended on Sunday evening in the Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC) Assembly segments, leaving the two constituencies set for polling on October 6.

The seats, located in Chengalpattu district and Tiruppur district respectively, fell vacant after Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Sathyabama resigned on May 25. Both had been elected on AIADMK tickets and resigned within three weeks of being elected to the House.

They later switched sides to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and are contesting the byelection on behalf of the party. Unlike recent Assembly byelections in Tamil Nadu, the contests in Madurantakam and Dharapuram have five corners.

Five-way contest across the two seats

The TVK-led Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance are contesting the byelections. The Left front is contesting separately, while the Naam Tamilar Katchi is fighting the election on its own.

The changed alliance alignments have added a significant political dimension to the contests when compared with the previous election. The Congress, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League, which were part of the DMK-led alliance, are now with the TVK-led alliance.

The Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), which was part of the NDA, is also extending support to the TVK. The AIADMK has accused the TVK of engineering the defection of its MLAs.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi, a key constituent of the NDA with considerable influence in northern and western Tamil Nadu, has decided not to extend support to any alliance. Its position leaves the alliance arithmetic different from that of the previous election.

Leaders make final campaign push

On the final day of campaigning, TVK president and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay held a roadshow in Dharapuram and canvassed votes for Ms. Sathyabama. Minister Aadhav Arjuna and other TVK leaders campaigned for Ms. Kumaravel in Madurantakam.

Mr. Vijay had conducted a relatively limited campaign during the Assembly election, but campaigned extensively in the two byelection segments. He addressed a public meeting in each constituency and held roadshows for several kilometres.

The ruling TVK deployed almost all Ministers as election in-charges in the two constituencies to oversee election work. The party’s campaign therefore involved both the direct participation of its president and the deployment of Ministers in the constituencies.

DMK president M.K. Stalin and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami released video messages seeking votes for their respective candidates. Leaders of the Left parties and the Naam Tamilar Katchi also concluded their campaigns.

The AIADMK’s campaign was led by Mr. Palaniswami and AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, both of whom campaigned extensively in Madurantakam and Dharapuram. The DMK also conducted an extensive campaign in both Assembly segments, with former Ministers camping there and overseeing poll work.

Mr. Stalin and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin campaigned in both constituencies. The competing campaigns have now given way to the polling process in two seats where the candidates, alliances and support arrangements differ from those of the previous election.

Polling and counting schedule

A total of 27 candidates are in the fray in Madurantakam, while 22 candidates are contesting in Dharapuram. Polling will begin at 7 a.m. on October 6 and continue until 6 p.m.

Counting of votes will take place on October 9, when the results will be declared. The immediate contest is between the TVK-led, DMK-led and AIADMK-led alliances, along with the separately contesting Left front and Naam Tamilar Katchi.

Source: The Hindu