TIRUNELVELI: Seventy-seven out of 90 candidates, who contested in the five Assembly constituencies in Tirunelveli district, have lost deposits. Of them, AIADMK candidate in Palayamkottai Syed Sulthan Samsudeen could not secure his deposit as the constituency recorded the lowest voter turnout of 68.9%.
DMK candidate and sitting MLA M Abdul Wahab emerged victorious securing 44.15% vote share in Palayamkottai where 17 candidates contested. TVK candidate Maria John (36.51) ended as the runner up.
AIADMK’s Samsudeen received only 10.92% of votes. Along with him, Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate S Sankaranarayanan and 13 others lost their deposit. Of the 17 candidates, 15 failed to secure a deposit in Palayamkottai.
In Tirunelveli constituency, Puthiya Tamilagam party founder Dr K Krishnasamy’s son and party’s youth wing secretary Dr Shyam lost deposit receiving only 4.87 % of votes. Out of the 20 candidates, only TVK (winner), DMK and AIADMK candidates retained their deposit.
Twenty-five candidates contested in Nanguneri constituency of which 22 failed to get their deposit in Nanguneri. TVK (winner), Congress and AMMK candidates secured deposit. S Velladurai of the AIPTMMK, a former police officer, managed to secure 1,048 votes.
In Ambasamudram where five candidates were in the fray, the AIADMK (winner), Congress and TVK secured deposit. Except three candidates - TVK (winner), DMK and BJP, 20 candidates lost their deposit in Radhapuram, where the four-time MLA and Assembly Speaker M Appavu was defeated by TVK’s Dr Sathish Christopher.