Number game throws up a strange coincidence
In a strange coincidence, the number of candidates in the state in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls after scrutiny has turned out to be the same.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-04-17 23:52 GMT
Chennai
As many as 845 candidates paid their deposits to seek election from 39 Lok Sabha seats, but the only change is that elections to the Vellore Lok Sabha seat has been countermanded. Otherwise, the trend and the number of candidates in the fray are the same.
Poll officials said that there was an increase in political parties ‘sponsored’ independent candidates since last elections. The sponsored candidates help the political parties to get more party men to be present inside the restricted areas like polling and counting station as chief polling agent and party booth agents.
“In those seats where there is a direct fight between the AIADMK and the DMK there is slight increase in the number of candidates. A case in point is the South Chennai segment, where there is a direct clash between AIADMK, DMK and AMMK and all the parties have fielded namesakes adding to the total number of candidates,” said a revenue official attached to the election monitoring cell.
However, the situation is not the same in Chennai Central and Chennai North where the DMK is taking on the PMK and DMDK, the AIADMK alliance partners, respectively.
Thoothukudi and Karur were also a surprise for poll officials as there is an increase in the number of candidates by 25 per cent due to the clash of heavyweights. In Karur, where the AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai is seeking re-election and is fighting against the prominent congress candidate, Jothi Mani, 42 candidates, including 30 independents, are in the fray.
Similarly, Thoothukudi, is another example with 37 candidates of which 26 are independents. The number of candidates in 18 vacant assembly seats had also added to the total number of candidates in the fray. Totally 269 candidates are fighting for the 18 seats. The poll process for four more seats will commence on April 21, sources said.
“In several areas, the political parties are also funding the independent candidates. In all the 18 vacant by-election seats, independents contesting in cooker symbol is funded by vested interests to thwart the prospects of AMMK candidates,” said Stalin Venkatesh, AMMK ward secretary in north Chennai.
Get inked on april 18 for by-elections to 18 assembly seats; your vote counts
1. Perambur
No. of Voters: 2,93,609
Male: 1,44,866
Female: 1,48,684
Third gender: 59
2016 elections
Winner:
P Vetrivel (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 65.38%
2. Hosur
No. of Voters: 3,27,294
Male: 1,68,186
Female: 1,59,009
Third gender: 99
2016 elections
Winner: Balakrishna Reddy P (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 70.88%
3. Gudiyattam (SC)
No. of Voters: 2,70,751
Male: 1,32,148
Female: 1,38,580
Third gender: 23
2016 elections
Winner: Jayanthi Padmanabhan C (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 74.01%
4. Ambur
No. of Voters: 2,23,950
Male: 1,09,438
Female: 1,14,504
Third gender: 8
2016 elections
Winner: Balasubramani (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 75.4%
5. Sholingur
No. of Voters: 2,61,537
Male: 1,29,177
Female: 1,32,358
Third gender: 2
2016 elections
Winner: Parthiban NG (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 81.69%
6. Poonamallee (SC)
No. of Voters: 3,32,321
Male: 1,63,976
Female: 1,68,297
Third gender: 48
2016 elections
Winner: Elumalai TA (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 75.61%
7. Tiruporur
No. of Voters: 2,70,758
Male: 1,33,301
Female: 1,37,433
Third gender: 24
2016 elections
Winner: Kothandapani M (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 78.45%
8. Pappireddipatti
No. of Voters: 2,53,515
Male: 1,27,855
Female: 1,25,656
Third gender: 4
2016 elections
Winner: Palaniyappan P (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 84.99%
9. Harur (SC)
No. of Voters: 2,35,857
Male: 1,18,993
Female: 1,16,857
Third gender: 7
2016 elections
Winner: R Murugan (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 83.61%
10. Thanjavur
No. of Voters: 2,77,269
Male: 1,33,262
Female: 1,43,955
Third gender: 52
2016 elections
Winner: M Rengasamy (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 69.02%
11. Tiruvarur
No. of Voters: 2,69,156
Male: 1,31,879
Female: 1,37,255
Third gender: 22
2016 elections
Winner: Karunanidhi M (DMK)
Votes polled: 71.12%
12. Periyakulam (SC)
No. of Voters: 2,68,739
Male: 1,32,175
Female: 1,36,467
Third gender: 97
2016 elections
Winner: Kathirkamu K (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 74.16%
13. Nilakkottai (SC)
No. of Voters: 2,29,209
Male: 1,13,085
Female: 1,16,120
Third gender: 4
2016 elections
Winner: Thangathurai R (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 79.06%
14. Andipatti
No. of Voters: 2,63,100
Male: 1,30,625
Female: 1,32,452
Third gender: 23
2016 elections
Winner: Thanga Tamilselvan (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 76.97%
15. Sattur
No. of Voters: 2,36,696
Male: 1,15,388
Female: 1,21,288
Third gender: 20
2016 elections
Winner: Subramanian SG (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 78.09%
16. Manamadurai (SC)
No. of Voters: 2,63,454
Male: 1,30,478
Female: 1,32,975
Third gender: 1
2016 elections
Winner: Mariappankennady S (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 71.33%
17. Paramakudi (SC)
No. of Voters: 2,46,727
Male: 1,22,836
Female: 1,23,870
Third gender: 21
2016 elections
Winner: Muthiah S (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 67.91%
18. Vilathikulam
No. of Voters: 2,08,833
Male: 1,02,885
Female: 1,05,946
Third gender: 2
2016 elections
Winner: Uma Maheswari K (AIADMK)
Votes polled: 74.05%
Why Did the Election Commission withhold elections to these three constituencies?
- Election Commission withheld polls in Ottapidaram, Aravakurichi and Tirupparankundram constituencies citing election petition filed by opposition party members
- Tirupparankundram: DMK candidate Saravanan filed an election petition against the election of AIADMK MLA AK Bose. Saravanan questioned the thumb impression of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on the nomination paper of AK Bose
- Ottapidaram: Puthiya Tamizhagam leader P Krishnaswamy filed an election petition against MLA R Sundararaj over the 2016 election result as he had lost the seat by 493 votes
- Aravakurichi: Independent candidate Geetha filed an election petition against MLA Senthil Balaji questioning his candidature as the election to the constituency was once cancelled because of his alleged involvement in money laundering
- Decks were cleared following the withdrawal of cases by the members
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