Chennai, May 1 (UNI) The stage is set for counting of votes
polled during the single phase polling on April six to elect
the 16th Tamil Nadu Assembly, adhering to strict COVID
protocols and tight security.
Counting will also simultaneously take place for the Kanyakumari
Lok Sabha seat where bypolls were held to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of sitting Congress MP H Vasanth Kumar, who died
due to COVID.
While AIADMK is eyeing for a hat-trick of wins, having won in 2011
and 2016 Assembly polls, the DMK, claiming to be banking on the
anti-incumbency factor, is desperate to come back to power after
being in the Opposition for ten years, in what was seen as a
no-holds barred elections.
This is the first Assembly elections faced by the ruling AIADMK
and the Opposition DMK in the absence of two tall leaders--both
former Chief Ministers--J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, who
have passed away.
Counting will be held in 75 centres across the state, including
four in Chennai, with the Election Commission putting in place
a three-tier security ring, with the deployment of cental para
military forces, apart from the state police.
The entire counting process will be videographed and CCTV
cameras were installed in all the counting centres.
As part of strict COVID guidelines, candidates, counting agents
and others will be allowed entry into the counting centres only
after producing a negative corona certificate or should have taken
two doses of vaccines.
An estimated 72.81 per cent of the total 6.29 crore electorate,
have cast their ballots during polling, sealing the fate of 3,998
candidates in a five-cornered contest in the Assembly elections.
The Lok Sabha bypoll witnessed a direct fight between former
Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan of BJP and Vasanthakumar's
son Vijay Vasanth of Congress.
The counting process was preceded by some dramatic developments
with the Madras High Court singularly holding the Election Commission
of India (ECI) responsible for the second wave of corona virus spread,
by allowing the political party leaders to hold rallies without following
the COVID protocols during campaigning.
The Court also said it would be constrained to defer the counting
process. However, accepting the ECI submissions, the court said
it was satisfied with the arrangements made by it and gave the
go ahead for the counting.
The counting process will start at 0800 hrs with the counting of
postal ballots followed by the votes polled in the EVMs.
The counting process will last from a minimum of 15 rounds to a
maximum of of more than 30-35 rounds, depending upon the strength
of the constituency.
Though early trends will be available by noon, the first results are
expected around evening, as COVID norms has to be followed
during counting.
Though various exit polls have predicted a landslide victory for
the Opposition DMK-led Front, as the DMK was aiming to come
back to power after ten years, the ruling AIADMK is confident that
it will retain power for a record third successive term, proving the
pre-poll predictions wrong as it did in 2016.
The elections witnessed a five-cornered contest as the fronts
headed by the traditional dravidian rivals, the AIADMK and the
DMK, vied with each other to win the confidence of the voters,
apart from the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of actor-politician
Kamal Haasan, ousted AIADMK leader and late Jayalalithaa's
close aide V K Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran and actor-
director Seeman's Naam Tamizhar Katchi.
Going by the exit poll results, it was a five-cornered contest
on paper, but it ended up with a two-horse race, with the main
fight between the AIADMK and the DMK.
The AIADMK-led front, which has named Chief Minister Edappadi
K Palaniswami as the CM candidate, contested in 179 seats, while
its ally the BJP in 20, PMK (23), Tamil Maanila Congress (6).
Besides, Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi, Tamilaga Makkal Munnetra
Kazkagam, Puratchi Bharatham, Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam, All
India Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam and Pasumpon Desiya Kazhagam
had contested in one seat each under the AIADMK's 'Two Leaves'
symbol.
In all, 185 candidates had contested the polls under the AIADMK symbol.
The DMK, heading the Secular Progressive Alliance had faced the polls,
projecting Stalin as the CM candidate, and had contested in 173 seats.
Its ally the Congress had contested in 25 seats, CPI, CPI-M, MDMK and
VCK (six each), Kongunaadu Makkal Desiya Katchi and IUML (three each),
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (two), All India Forward Bloc, Tamizhaga
Vazhvurimai Katchi, Makkal Viduthalai Katchi and Athi Thamizhar Peravai
(one each).
In all, 187 candidates (including 14 of its allies) had contested on the DMK’s
‘Rising Sun’ symbol.
Key candidates, whose fate will be known tomorrow included
Mr Palaniswami from his native Edappadi seat, Deputy Chief
Minister O Panneerselvam (Bodinayakkanur), BJP State Chief
L Murugan (Dharapuram-R), actress-politician Khushbu Sundar
(Thousand Lights), former IPS Officer and BJP Vice-President
K Annamalai (Aravakurichi), former National Secretary H Raja
(Karaikudi), Stalin (Kolathur), his son and debutant Udhayanidhi
Stalin (Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni), DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan
(Katpadi), Dhinakaran (Kovilpatti), DMDK Treasurer and Vijayakanth's
wife Premalatha (Vridhachalam)--an ally of AMMK--Kamal Haasan,
who entered the poll fray for the first time and BJP's Women's
Wing Secretary Ms Vanathi Srinivasan in Coimbatore South,
President of PMK G K Mani (Pennagaram) and Seeman (Tiruvottriyur).
This election is an acid test for the leadership of both the AIADMK
and the DMK, who are testing the waters in the absence of
Ms Jayalalithaa and Mr Karunanidhi, notwithstanding the DMK
sweeping the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
UNI GV 0735