Surveillance teams on high alert in Virudhunagar district as campaign for Lok Sabh poll ends

Electioneering in Virudhunagar district that lasted for nearly 20 days came to an end with loud speakers falling silent at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

By and large, the campaign period remained peaceful and smooth without any untoward incident, said Virudhunagar District Election Officer V. P. Jeyaseelan. All the surveillance teams and police have been put on high alert to prevent any malpractice including money distribution ahead of the polling day on April 19, he said.

The election campaign touched major issues like AIIMS, issues plaguing fireworks and match industry and Kappalur tollgate, which was raised by both the alliances led by the Dravidian parties.

However, the campaign by all the major parties was more about taking on the political opponents on their political stand rather than the local issues.

DMK president and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and J.P. Nadda, were among the star campaigners in the district.

However, Congress candidate B. Manickam Tagore had the maximum number of leaders from alliance parties campaigning for him like Udhayanidhi Stalin, K. Balakrishnan, R. Mutharasan, K. Selvaperunthagai, K.S. Alagiri, Vaiko and Tiruchi N. Siva, who kept coming one after the other and addressed voters in different parts of the district/constituency. Besides, local Minister K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran coordinated the campaign in the district.

All of them kept harping on how the poll was a battle for people to choose between democracy and autocracy. The failure of Centre to give funds for recent Tamil Nadu flood was highlighted by them.

For, the DMDK candidate V. Vijayaprabhakaran, the campaign was led by AIADMK leader K. T. Rajenthra Bhalaji.

“Our candidate has stopped at aleast 1,000 spots to meet the voters. We highlighted how the DMK had increased the burden on people with price rice, revision of property tax, electricity charges, even as the AIADMK Government had kept those under check,” Mr. Bhalaji said.

The DMK despite having increased the charges, tax and having raised a loan of Rs. 3.5 lakh crore has only been trying to divert the attention on its failures by blaming the Centre for not giving funds,” he added.

The candidate also got support from his mother and DMDK general secretary, Premalatha Vijayakant and his brother, Shanmugapandian for campaigning in the last few days.

As for the BJP candidate, Radikaa Sarathkumar, her husband and actor Sarathkumar coordinated the campaign with alliance party leaders. They also focussed more on meeting leaders of different communities across the constituency. AMMK leader T. T. V. Dhinakaran and BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan sought votes for her in the constituency. They sought votes for development and to build a stronger nation.

Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate S. Kaushik, had his party leader Seeman campaigning for him at different places across Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency. However, the young medical professional with a small team of partymen relentlessly travelled across the constituency unmindful of the heat wave.

The only controversy that broke out during the campaign was distribution of “guarantee cards” by the Congress men and getting personal details of the voters. It was opposed by both BJP and DMDK.

The police had subsequently registered case in this regard.

The political parties had organised public meetings, processions, bike rallies to attract maximum attention on the last day of campaign.

No social media campaign

Meanwhile, Returning Officer for Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency Mr. Jeyaseelan said no campaign was allowed after 6 p.m. on Wednesday even through social media. A team of officials were keeping a watch on the social media, he said.

All the flying squad teams and static surveillance teams have been asked to be more vigilant in the next two days. People can use C-Vigil app to lodge complaints on malpractices and violation of model code of conduct.

Election related complaints could be lodged over the toll-free number 1800 425 2166 and 04562- 252100, 221301, 221302, 221303, and 1950, 0452-234600.

The officials had conducted multiple SVEEP activities on each day in the last three weeks to create awareness on the need to vote without fail and on the slogan “My vote is not for sale”.