Four candidates, including two independents, filed their nomination papers to contest the by-election to Erode (East) Assembly constituency here on Tuesday.
Returning Officer and Corporation Commissioner K. Sivakumar receiving the papers from K. Padmarajan at the Corporation’s Central Office in Erode on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: M. GOVARTHAN
K. Padmarajan, 62, of Mettur Dam, nicknamed ‘Election King’ for having contested in a record number of elections, was the first candidate to file his papers with Returning Officer and Corporation Commissioner K. Sivakumar at the Corporation’s Central Office. “I am contesting for the 233th time,” he said. He claims that he holds the Limca Book of World Records for the “Most Unsuccessful Candidate” and also the Guinness Book of World Records for “Most Elections Contested”.
Another candidate A. Noor Muhammed, 63, of Sundarapuram in Coimbatore came to the Corporation office by wearing a garland of foot wears. “I will work for people like a footwear,” he said and asked people to vote for a candidate who will work for them.
An election staff counting ₹10 coins that were given as poll deposits by a candidate at the Corporation’s Central Office in Erode on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: M. GOVARTHAN
E. Ramesh, 42, of Ahimsa Socialist Party, from Merku Palapatti in Namakkal district, dressed as Mahatma Gandhi, paid his poll deposit of ₹10,000 in ₹10 coins to create awareness among people. “The Reserve Bank of India has said that the coins are legal tenders and can be used in all transactions. But, banks, traders and the public are not accepting the coins,” he said. V. Dhanalakshmi, 41, of Naadalum Makkal Katchi from Tiruppur district has also filed her papers.
The Returning Officer said clarifications were also given to a few independent candidates who came to file their nominations and officials asked them to file their papers with the required documents. Elaborate security arrangements were in place at the Corporation office during the day.
