Thaindian News

Chennai, March 26 (IANS) Heavy security is in place for the highly charged bypoll Saturday in Tamil Nadu’s Pennagaram assembly constituency that has 31 candidates, including 24 Independents, in the fray.
Nine companies of security personnel will be deployed for the smooth conduct of the poll. “This is a high number considering the fact that the election is for one constituency. We do not expect any violence tomorrow,” Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta told IANS.

The bypoll is largely dominated by four major candidates - DMK’s P.N.P. Inbasekaran, PMK’s G.K.M. Tamilkumaran, AIADMK’s R. Anbalagan and DMDK’s Kaveri Varman.

According to Gupta, electronic voting machines and polling officials have reached the polling booths.

The four major parties have taken the bypoll very seriously, and more so the PMK which is fighting a bypoll for the first time.

The ruling DMK deployed all its top leaders, including Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, for electioneering.

Though a bit late, the AIADMK tried to catch up with others with its leader J. Jayalalithaa campaigning in the constituency for two days.

It was the PMK which hit the campaign track first with all its leaders going around the constituency several times.

DMDK leader Vijaykant too made a whirlwind tour of the constituency.

All the parties focused on the severe drinking water scarcity in Pennagaram as their major campaign point. While the DMK cited the Hogenakkal water project as its achievement, others faulted the ruling party for the delay in implementing it.

The opposition parties complained of large scale violation of the model code of conduct by the DMK.

On Thursday, the Election Commission of India citing complaints of liquor, money and other items being distributed amon the voters, had asked for a report from the state chief secretary.

As per the revised tally, around 208,000 voters are there in the constituency.