With just a week left for the polling to rural local bodies in the first phase, candidates of political parties and independents have intensified their campaign in Tiruchi, Pudukottai and other districts.
Besides candidates of political parties, who are in the fray for the post of ward members of panchayat unions and district panchayats, those contesting for panchayat presidents positions have been camapaigning intensively in their respective areas.
Candidates are also engaged in door-to-door campaigning to woo the voters.
In Mannachallur, Nochiyam, Samayapuram and other areas, candidates have chosen private and public walls to reach out to voters. Wall posters and graffiti are seen in different parts of the district.
Though most of the top leaders of political parties have not entered the campaign so far, Ministers and district secretaries of ruling AIADMK and the second rung leaders of DMK have begun canvassing votes.
Along with the election work, committee members announced by the AIADMK leadership, Tourism Minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan and Backward Classes Minister S. Valarmathi, visited various parts of Tiruchi district and canvassed votes on Saturday.
Former DMK Minister and district secretary (Tiruchi south) K.N. Nehru led the party’s campaign in Tiruchi district.
Accompanied by the candidates, he sought votes at Pazhavanji in Marungapuri union on Saturday.
In Pudukottai district, Transport Minister C. Vijaya Baskar is leading the AIADMK’s election campaign. Accompanied by the AIADMK candidates, he sought votes by distributing pamphlets to passersby in Viralimalai on Friday.
As a novel attempt to attract voters, he demonstrated his ‘paratha’ making skill at an eatery at Viralimalai. He then sought votes of the customers at the eatery.
B. Selvi Balasubramanian, candidate for Keelakurichi panchayat in Pudukottai district, said the expectations of voters had gone up when compared to previous election. Besides building overhead tanks and improving road infrastructure, she had promised to renovate the village temple so as to conduct ‘Kumbhabhishekam’.
In Thanjavur, State CPI Secretary R.Mutharasan campaigned in Sanurapatti and other areas on Saturday.
