The Ruling DMK is poised to retain the Vikravandi Assembly
seat in Tamil Nadu after its candidate Anniyur Siva has established an unassailable
lead of more than 50,000 votes over his PMK rival C.Anbumani, as counting of votes
polled in the July 10 bye-election continued on Saturday, mid tight security.
As of 1.00 pm, Siva was leading by a margin of over 53,000 votes against his PMK rival.
Siva has polled more than 94,322 votes as against 40,587 by Anbumani. NTK’s Dr Abhinaya
is a distant third having polled 7,423 votes.
Right from the first round, it turned out to be a one-horse race as the DMK candidate has
been leading. The gap kept widened with every round of counting as the ruling party is all
set to retain the seat.
With Mr Siva establishing sizeable leads and is poised to retain the seat, DMK cadres
across the State, including at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam, celebrated by
bursting crackers and distributing sweets.
They also shouted slogans hailing DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin.
When Mr Stalin came to the party office around noon, he was given a rousing reception
by the DMK cadres. He also personally distributed sweets to party leaders, including
Ministers, MLAs, functionaries and partymen.
Meanwhile, PMK too celebrated by bursting crackers for securing good number of votes
without bribing the voters in this bypoll.
The bypoll is seen as a high stakes battle between the DMK and the PMK, which contested
as an ally of the BJP, after the main Opposition AIADMK and its ally, the DMDK chose to
boycott the elections.
The bypoll witnessed a huge voter turnout with 82.48 per cent of the total 2.37 lakh electorate
casting their ballots when compared to 82.04 per cent in 2021.
The bypoll to the Vikravandi seat in Villupuram district, a DMK stronghold, was necessitated
following the death of sitting DMK MLA N.Pughazhendi, who is also a senior party functionary
in the district.
