Erode East bypoll: Three independent candidates file nominations on day one

COIMBATORE: Three independent candidates, including ‘election king’ K Padmarajan, filed their nominations, on the first day when nominations were thrown open for Erode East bypoll on Friday.

‘Election king’ K Padmarajan, a native of Mettur in Salem, didn’t disappoint this time too. He was the first to file his nomination for the bypoll warranted following the demise of Congress leader EVKS Elangovan.

“I am contesting for the 247th time in an election. I contested last in the Wayanad Lok Sabha polls. Since 1988, I have been unsuccessful in contesting in the polls, and that’s my success. My intention is not to win but to lose. I have spent Rs one crore so far to contest in polls,” he said to the media after handing over his papers for contesting.

Another independent, K Maduraivinayakam, an ex-army officer from Attur in Karur, filed his nomination in armed forces attire. “I have served the nation in the Army for 22 years. After retirement, I decided to serve people by contesting the polls,” he said. He had already contested unsuccessfully in Pollachi Lok Sabha poll and Vikravandi by-poll.

Similarly, another independent, Noor Muhammed from Coimbatore, who had contested several polls unsuccessfully, came to file the nomination performing funeral music. He was carrying a firepot and a conch, wearing a symbolic dress of a graveyard worker.

“I intend to sound a death knell to the culture of getting money for votes. I wanted to perform a funeral to the practice of cash for votes in polls,” he said. Police stopped him and allowed him to file a nomination after changing his attire.

Nominations can be filed two more days with the Returning Officer on January 13 and 17 between 11 am and 3 pm