Ever since Jayalalithaa’s demise, all eyes are on RK Nagar by-poll that is facilitated with her passing away. With several twists, turns, controversies around her death and Jaya’s close aide being convicted in disproportionate assets case and jailed, the division of AIADMK and Modi-led BJP trying to take political advantage out of the prevailing conditions in Tamil Nadu have all together make RK Nagar by-election result one of the most awaited in country.
The bypoll held on December 21 had seen a record 77.68 per cent voter turnout.As many as 59 candidates are in the fray, but the fight is mainly a triangular one, with key contenders being ruling AIADMK’s E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent.
Taking many by shock, TTV Dinakaran, Sasikala’s nephew and close aide, is heading towards a massive victory giving his peers – E Palaniswamy & O Panneerselvam-led AIADMK, Stalin-led DMK, BJP and others – a huge blow. After completion of four rounds, Dinakaran is marching towards major victory. What is shocking is that NOTA has got more votes than the BJP.
With results in favour of him, Dinakaran announced that it is ‘candidate’ that matters not the ‘symbol’. While Madhusudhanan has contested on ‘two-leaves’ symbol of AIADMK, independent Dinakaran contested on ‘pressure-cooker’ symbol. This is not all. Dinakaran made shocking statement that E Palaniswamy government would collapse in three months. The supporters of Sasikala and Dinakaran have erupted in celebration by bursting crackers.
Dinakaran is on his way from Madurai to Chennai. Soon after reaching Chennai, Dinakaran will head to the Amma Memorial at Marina Beach to pay respects to J Jayalalithaa.
Current Leads (Dec 24, 2017 at 12.20 PM)
TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 20,298
E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 9,672
N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 5,091
NOTA: 493
BJP: 318