The hectic campaign for the lone Lok Sabha seat and Thattanchavady bypoll came to a climax on Tuesday evening.
As many as 9,73,410 voters will decide the fate of 18 candidates, including Congress candidate V. Vaithilingam and AINRC nominee K. Narayanasamy in the Lok Sabha polls. An estimated 29, 757 voters will decide the fate of 8 nominees, including P. Nedounzejiane and DMK’s K. Venketasan, in the Thattanchavady poll.
On the last day of the campaigning, candidates along with their leaders conducted road shows mainly in the town and urban areas. While Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and Mr. Vaithilingam campaigned in the town, PCC chief A. Namassivayam restricted his road shows to Villianur and adjoining places.
AINRC founder N. Rangasamy along with his candidate K. Narayanasamy toured Indira Nagar, Thattanchavady and Kadirgamam constituencies.
One of the most fiercely contested Lok Sabha polls in the history, the Congress and AINRC locked horns during the three-week long campaign on several issues.
Throughout the campaign, Congress kept attacking the principal Opposition party for its alliance with the BJP and the AIADMK.
The Congress leaders made an issue about former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s attack on AINRC for its decision to ignore AIADMK in the ministry after fighting together in 2011 Assembly polls.
On its turn, the AINRC made it as a poll plank the alleged failures of the Congress government in the Union Territory. It also made it an issue the lack of support from Congress governments at the Centre for AINRC’s demand for Statehood.
No support
Meanwhile, veteran leader P. Kannan in a statement said he was not extending support to either Congress candidate or AINRC nominee for Lok Sabha polls.
Mr. Kannan said he was concentrating on preliminary works involved in the formation of a party. “I am concentrating more on Assembly elections,” he added.
