Contestants in Vellore tried all ‘strategies’

Candidates have used various strategies to ensure a win in the urban local body polls.

While the husband of a rebel DMK candidate Manimegalai in ward 36 in Ambur Municipality gave fake gold coins to locals and failed as she lost in the polls, parents of a young woman candidate in Vellore ward 28 went to extent of pleading with voters to ensure a win for their daughter as they did not “know how the father would react if she lost,” sources said.

The family upped the ante and on voting day with the father himself stating that of the Rs 1,000 given to each voter, they should use Rs 200 for buy a garland to deck her bier as she would not live if she lost and she won.

In Chengam Town Panchayat in Tiruvannamalai, PMK cadres staged a road roko on Tuesday demanding the safe return of the PMK woman councillor who was reportedly abducted by the DMK men. Of the 18 wards in the local body, DMK won 8 while rival AIADMK won 7 wards with the BJP, PMK and MMK winning one ward each.

To ensure a majority, the PMK winner was taken away and following the road roko, when they knew that things could get out of hand, the lady was brought back and left some distance from the agitation spot after which peace reigned.

However, it was different in Vandavasi Municipality where of the 24 wards up for grabs the DMK and its allies won 8, PMK 2, independents 10, AIADMK 3 and IUML 1. Soon after the results were out, 5 independents, including 2 DMK rebels and 3 AIADMK rebels joined the DMK in the presence of Vandavasi DMK MLA Ambeth Kumar.

In Vaniyambadi Municipality, though the Assembly constituency has an AIADMK MLA, all 24 party ward contestants lost with 14 even losing their deposits. In Odugathur town panchayat the PMK candidate received just one vote.