From No Councilor To Campaign With Knife: Titbits Of Events In TN Urban Local Body Poll Fray

The urban local body polls are set to take place in a single phase on February 19

A DMK candidate ironing a dress (Image for representation/ABP Nadu)

Chennai: As Tamil Nadu Urban Local Body Polls are around the corner, there are several political twists and turns in candidates' decisions on contesting in the polls and their campaign strategy. On Tuesday alone, two unexpected turns of events took place in Tamil Nadu. 

In Sivaganga, ward 8 of Kanadukathan town panchayat will not have a ward councilor any soon since the lone candidate withdrew her nomination citing family reasons. The candidate Mari was among 39 people who withdrew the nomination for urban local body polls from Kanandukathan. 

The district poll officials said the post will lie vacant and the issue will be brought to the notice of the State Election Commission.

In Tamil Nadu, 14,324 candidates withdrew their nominations on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a Congress functionary who was denied a ticket in Sriperumbudur town fielded his wife as an independent candidate in the same ward 1 of the panchayat. As her nomination was accepted, the man started campaigning for his wife but got into a controversy after he carried a knife for the campaign. 

According to a report on Times of India, K Boopalan was a former Vice-President of SC/ST wing of Congress and when the national party released the candidate list he was disappointed since he did not get a seat to contest in the polls. Hence, he decided to field his wife as an independent candidate. 

Following this, his wife submitted the nomination and her nomination was accepted. Hence the couple started the campaign.

On Tuesday, he went to campaign but with a knife and asked the passersby for votes for his wife B Dhanalakshmi.

The police said, when some cadre of political parties made a noise he took out the knife and threatened that those who do not vote for his wife would face consequences. 

The police based on the tipoff from the neighbours reached the spot and arrested him. 

Now with the arrest, Boopalan may get to vote for his wife if he gets bail before the polls.

The urban local body polls are set to take place in a single-phase on February 19. However, many candidates are involved in several activities including cooking, washing, ironing and other ways to woo the voters across Tamil Nadu.