RK Nagar election results LIVE UPDATES: TTV Dinakaran pulls ahead, AIADMK trailing in second

RK Nagar bypoll results LIVE UPDATES: In high stakes battles, AIADMK, sidelined party leader TTV Dinakaran and DMK vie for Jayalalithaa’s seat.

Counting is currently underway for the RK Nagar assembly seat, which fell vacant following the demise of former AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha. The bypoll contest in Radhakrishnan Nagar is widely being perceived as an acid test for the AIADMK as this is the first election party is contesting in after the death of Jayalalithaa. A total of 59 candidates are vying for the bypoll assembly seat, including the BJP. But, primarily, the election is being seen as a direct contest between the AIADMK, DMK and TTV Dinakaran, who is fighting as an independent.

ALSO READ | RK Nagar election result LIVE UPDATES in Tamil

RK Nagar bypoll results LIVE UPDATES:

9.30 am: Exit polls had earlier called this election in favour of TTV Dinakaran. Unfazed by the predictions, both AIADMK and DMK, however, have
expressed confidence that they would win the seat.

9.20 am:  As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise. Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security, reports PTI.

9.10 am: In the subsequent rounds of counting, it appears the AIADMK has managed to slash Dinakaran’s early lead to a slender margin of over 600 votes.

Here are the numbers: TTV Dinakaran — 5399 votes, AIADMK — 2737 votes, DMK — 181 votes.

9.00 am: After round one, TTV Dinakaran is in the lead with 1891 votes, AIADMK is trailing in second with 646 votes and DMK is third with 360 votes.

8:45 am: TTV Dinakaran supporters already started celebrations at his residence near Besant Nagar beach.

8:30 am: In the first round,  TTV Dinakaran leading by 412 votes.

07:31 am: “Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way,” says Karu Nagarajan, BJP candidate from RK Nagar outside a vote counting center in Chennai.

Karu Nagarajan, BJP candidate from RK Nagar.