NOTA too beats BJP

CHENNAI : The BJP has been pushed to the sixth place in the RK Nagar by-election by NOTA (None of the Above) option. Incidentally, the BJP has secured lesser number of votes than in the 2016 Assembly elections. Next to TTV Dhinakaran, an independent candidate, E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK) and Marudhu Ganesh (DMK), KA Kalaikottudayan of Naam Thamizhar Katchi secured the fourth place, polling 3,860 votes. 

The fifth place went to NOTA for which 2,373 voters opted. In the sixth place, BJP candidate Karu Nagarajan polled 1,417 votes, less than one per cent of the valid votes. Significantly, in the 2016 Assembly elections, the then BJP candidate MN Raja polled 2,928 votes, slightly above the NOTA votes (2,873). 

Just as the counting was going on, BJP’s senior leader Subramanian Swamy tweeted: “A national ruling party gets quarter of NOTA’s vote; Time for Accountability”. His comment has kindled a debate on the BJP’s dismal performance. However, BJP State president Tamilisai said what was held in RK Nagar was not an election at all and hence there was nothing to say about it.