Tamil Nadu Bypoll Counting Begins in Madurantakam, Dharapuram
Vote counting started at 8 am for two Assembly seats vacated after AIADMK MLAs joined the ruling TVK, with turnout above 80% in both constituencies.
KEY POINTS
- Counting began at 8 am for Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls
- Turnout: Madurantakam 86.26%, Dharapuram 80.30% (EC figures)
- Seats vacated after AIADMK MLAs Maragatham and Sathyabama joined ruling TVK
- Five-cornered contests: TVK, DMK, AIADMK, Left parties, NTK
- DMK alleges Sathyabama spent Rs 31 crore in April election; seeks EC probe
Counting of votes began at 8 am on Friday for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls in Tamil Nadu. Both seats recorded voter turnouts above 80%, with Madurantakam at 86.26% and Dharapuram at 80.30% according to the Election Commission.
The bypolls were triggered after sitting AIADMK legislators K. Maragatham and P. Sathyabama resigned and joined Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The contests have become five-cornered races involving TVK, DMK, AIADMK, Left parties and NTK.
“The bypoll is an unnecessary financial burden caused by political horse-trading and betrayal.”
In Dharapuram, TVK candidate Sathyabama faces DMK's S. Suganya and AIADMK's K. Banumathi among others. Sathyabama won the seat on an AIADMK ticket in April before switching parties. DMK president M.K. Stalin has called the bypoll an unnecessary financial burden caused by political horse-trading.
DMK MLA S. Austin has urged the Election Commission to investigate a social media video allegedly showing Sathyabama claiming she spent Rs 31 crore in the previous Assembly election. AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has urged voters to punish defectors.
Counting agents were allowed entry only after QR code verification at the Dharapuram centre. Mobile phones were collected from all personnel, including police, and kept in secure custody. Postal ballots were counted first, followed by EVM votes.
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