Vikravandi Bypoll Results: DMK's Anniyur Siva Takes Lead In Early Trends

Vikravandi Bypoll results: The by-election was necessitated following the death of DMK legislator N Pugazhenthi in April this year.

The counting of votes is underway for Vikravandi Assembly bypoll in Tamil Nadu on Saturday

Source : PTI

Vikravandi Bypoll results: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) took an early lead in the Vikravandi Assembly constituency as the counting of votes from the July 10 bypoll commenced on Saturday. The vote-counting process began at 8 am starting with the postal ballots. This by-election was necessitated following the death of DMK legislator N Pugazhenthi in April this year.

DMK candidate Anniyur Siva was ahead by approximately 5,000 votes, surpassing his nearest rival, C Anbumani of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), according to initial reports, as per PTI.

The bypoll was held against the backdrop of the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, which resulted in about 65 deaths, and the brutal murder of BSP leader K Armstrong. These incidents were anticipated to impact the ruling party's electoral performance.

 

Vikravandi Bypoll

The by-election in Vikravandi, a triangular contest, features DMK's Anniyur Siva (alias Sivashanmugam A), PMK's C. Anbumani, and Naam Tamilar Katchi's K. Abinaya. The constituency has 2.34 lakh registered voters, including 1.15 lakh men and 1.18 lakh women.

During the campaign, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin urged voters to defeat the PMK, an ally of the BJP, due to its stance against abolishing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Dr. Anuradha from the Tamil-nationalist NTK party pledged to transform Vikravandi into a liquor-free constituency within two years if elected. PMK leader Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss called for support for his party's candidate, emphasizing that a victory would ensure a 15% reservation for the Vanniyar community, according to a report on PTI.

However, AIADMK and its ally DMDK boycotted the bypolls. 

The DMK-led alliance recently won all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone Puducherry segment in the just-concluded Parliamentary elections. The AIADMK alliance and NDA failed to bag any seats in the polls.