20 out of 39 NDA candidates forfeit deposits in Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha election
According to the Election Commission, as many as 20 NDA candidates out of 39 (51 per cent) in Tamil Nadu have lost their security deposits in the 18th Lok Sabha general elections.
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CHENNAI: In the 18th Lok Sabha elections 20 NDA candidates in the state, including 10 BJP candidates have lost their security deposits.
According to the Election Commission, as many as 20 NDA candidates out of 39 (51 per cent) in Tamil Nadu have lost their security deposits in the 18th Lok Sabha general elections.
As per the EC rules, a candidate has to achieve at least one-sixth (16.67 per cent) of the total polled votes in the constituency, to retain the security deposit.
BJP candidates of Tiruvallur, Chennai North, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupur, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Virudhunagar, Nagapattinam and Chidambaram, totaling to 10 forfeited their security deposits.
After BJP, Pattali Makkal Katchi’s 6 candidates of Kancheepuram, Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Salem, Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai failed to save their deposits.
GK Vasan’s Tamil Maanila Congress (M)’s two candidates of Erode and Thoothukudi also lost their security deposits. TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK, which contested in two seats, has lost its deposit in Tiruchy seat.
Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) leader TR Paarivendhar, who contested in the BJP’s Lotus symbol in Perambalur also lost his security deposit in his incumbent seat, where he won with a margin of 4 lakh votes in 2019.
Along with key BJP functionaries, KP Ramalingam, A Asuvathaman, AP Muruganandam, Karupu M Muruganantham, P Karthiyayini, V Pon Balaganapathy and RC Paul Kanagaraj, actress Raadhika Sarathkumar, has also lost her security deposits, which has created tremors within the party.
It may be recalled that actor Sarath Kumar had merged his Samathuva Makkal Katchi with the BJP a few days before the elections.
Speaking on this, a senior BJP functionary seeking anonymity said due to the efforts of the state president Annamalai, they were unable to build a strong alliance and their prominent faces were unable to retain security deposits.
“Our senior leader KP Ramalingam has no desire to contest. Annamalai destroyed his honour by forcing him to compete. If Thada Periyasamy had given a seat, he could have secured significant votes in Chidambaram. But, Karthiyayini was brought from Vellore and stationed at Chidambaram, so she too has lost her deposit. Raadhika and TR Paarivendar have also failed miserably due to the fact that our party functionaries worked behind the scenes against them,” the leader explained to DT Next.
However, multiple sources with the saffron party admitted that there was no vote transfer between PMK and BJP in Northern and Western areas.
“The PMK votes were not entirely available to the BJP and its allies in the Northern and Western areas. Also, our votes did not go completely to PMK,” sources added.
