Curtains came down on the campaign for the crucial June 27 by-poll to Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly segment being contested by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that saw cadres of her rival CPI candidate C Mahendran turning out in large numbers on the last day on Thursday.
Though there are a total of 28 candidates in the fray but the battle is effectively between Ms. Jayalalithaa and Mr. Mahendran.
The CPI (M) is backing Mr. Mahendran.
Counting of votes will be taken up on June 30.
The entire Tamil Nadu cabinet and senior AIADMK leaders met people individually, greeting them with folded hands and seeking votes for ‘Amma’ during the campaigning.
However, Jayalalithaa on her part addressed only 2 meetings during the by-poll campaign as she assured implementation of her election promises.
Avoids attack on opposition
She chose to address the meetings while sitting in her vehicle that had a microphone fitted in it.
The AIADMK supremo, during the campaign, refrained from any vitriolic attack against the opposition, including arch rival DMK, and chose to highlight her four year-old government’s achievements in various sectors.
She claimed that main opposition parties had stayed away from contesting as her party could not be defeated.
Mr. Mahendran for his part has been focusing on local issues affecting the voters of the constituency.
The by-poll has been necessitated to this North Chennai constituency after AIADMK’s P Vetrivel had vacated it in May, apparently to enable Ms. Jayalalithaa seek re-election.
The AIADMK supremo has to fulfil a constitutional requirement of getting elected as MLA within six months of becoming Chief Minister.
Jayalalithaa returned to the top post on May 23 after securing an acquittal in a wealth case. She had been convicted in the case in September last by a trial court in Bangalore.
Social activist ‘Traffic’ Ramasamy is among the 26 independent candidates trying his electoral luck.
Of the 230 polling booths, 22 have been identified as ’vulnerable’ by the Election Commission which has taken up a slew of measures including deploying Central Armed Police Force to ensure conduct of free and fair elections.
