Voting for the bypolls in Tamil Nadu's Vikravandi and Nanguneri assembly constituencies began this morning. A total of 35 candidates are in the fray. The polling will conclude by 6 pm and the counting of votes will begin on October 24.
The Vikravandi assembly constituency in Villupuram district fell vacant after DMK legislator K Radhamani passed away in June this year. Similarly, the Nanguneri assembly constituency in the Tirunelveli district fell vacant after HL Vasantha Kumar of the Congress resigned following his election as MP from the Kanyakumari constituency.
With 2.24 lakh citizens to vote, there are 23 candidates in the fray at Vikravandi, though the contest is primarily between AIADMK's R Muthamizhselvan and DMK's N Pugazhenthi.
In Nanguneri, where 2.57 lakh people are expected to vote, 12 candidates are combating for the seat. The contest, however, is between Congress's Ruby R Manoharan and AIADMK's V Narayanan.
Approximately 10 per cent of votes have been polled in Vikravandi and Nanguneri by 10 am.
A month ago, as dates for the bypolls for Nanguneri and Vikravandi were announced by the Election Commission of India, it was looked at as a prelude to the general assembly polls due in 2021. The bypoll results are all set to play a significant role in determining the strength of the AIADMK and DMK and also the leadership strength of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and opposition leader MK Stalin.
The campaign in the two constituencies came to a close on Saturday. And clearly, the campaign by both the ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK touched a feverish pitch during the past few days. The AIADMK played the 'Amma' card very tactfully while the DMK played the community card and criticised the AIADMK for its failures.
On the other hand, Naam Thamizhar Katchi leader Seeman, who always plays the Tamil nationalist card, this time stirred-up controversy as he campaigned for his party candidate in Vikravandi justifying the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for sending the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka. "History will be rewritten in the future to the effect that Rajiv Gandhi who had sent IPKF to Sri Lanka to kill Tamilians was later murdered in the Tamil land. He was killed by our woman Tamil woman Thanu," he said during the campaign.
Seeman has been booked for his provocative speech "with an intention to cause a riot and intentional insult to breach the peace," by the Tamil Nadu police.
In Nanguneri, voters from two villages have decided to restrain from voting, pressing their demand to elevate them and give the community status of Devendra Kula Vellalars.
Though the bypolls may not bring in any change in the numbers in the assembly, clearly its an indicator of what will follow in the long-overdue local body polls and assembly polls due in 2021.