CHENNAI: The ruling DMK has wrested Tiruchendur Assembly seat from archrival AIADMK while retaining the Vandavasi constituency. With this, the DMK strength in the State Assembly has gone up to 99, including Speaker R Avudaiappan.
Counting for the by-polls in the two constituencies was taken up on Wednesday and DMK candidate Anitha R Radhakrishnan won Tiruchendur by-election by a margin of 46,861 votes, worsting AIADMK’s Amman T Narayanan.
In Vandavasi constituency, DMK candidate SPJ Kamalakannan gave a of 38,017 votes drubbing to AIADMK candidate Munusamy.
The DMDK fared third in both constituencies.
Counting in both constituencies was stretched this time as the Election Commission had introduced several new measures to make the counting process foolproof. Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta and other senior officials monitored the entire counting process, which was ‘live-recorded’ at the counting venues.
It was jubilance at the Gopalapuram residence of Chief Minister and the DMK headquarters here. The Chief Minister thanked voters and distributed sweets to party colleagues and cadre. He said the DMK Government’s involvement in resolving issues earned the party victory.
Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin said the DMK’s victory reflected the mood of the people of Tamil Nadu and it was a vote for ‘performance’. In Madurai, Union Minister MK Azhagiri echoed similar views, saying the winning- spree of the DMK would extend to the by-election to the Pennagaram constituency too.