Curtains down on Vikravandi assembly bypoll campaign

CHENNAI: Electioneering for the July 10 Vikravandi assembly bypoll came to an end at 6 pm on Monday.

As the ruling DMK went full throttle to retain the seat and maintain its winning streak under Chief Minister MK Stalin, the PMK and the NTK hit the ground hard to give the Dravidian major a tough fight.

The election was necessitated following the demise of DMK legislator N Pugalenthi who had won against AIADMK candidate Muthamilselvan by a margin of around 9,500 votes in the 2021 assembly polls. Since the AIADMK decided to refrain from contesting the bypoll, NTK chief Seeman and PMK leaders Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss fought hard to garner the AIADMK votes.

Seeman even backed the hunger stir by Edappadi K Palaniswami and AIADMK MLAs in Chennai over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.

Anbumani also appealed to the AIADMK voters to help defeat the ruling party.

However, BJP State chief K Annamalai, campaigning for PMK ridiculed EPS for running away from the election.

"EPS has asked the cadre not to vote for PMK. The message is not to boost its voting percentage and improve its bargaining power for the forthcoming assembly elections," said an AIADMK functionary.