CHENNAI: A day before urban local body elections, many candidates are worried by the threat posed by eleventh-hour defections and rebel candidates. This is evident from the fact that major political parties have removed hundreds of functionaries for “anti-party activities” in the last 10 days.
A municipality councillor candidate of DMK told TNIE, “Since individual influence plays a crucial role in the outcome of local body polls, we are worried about the rebel candidates. Because of their influence among voters, they are contesting against party candidates. The winning margin in local bodies would be narrow in many wards and hence, we suspended them from our party to prevent our sympathisers from voting for them.”
A municipal councillor candidate of AIADMK added, “We have to protect our candidates from poaching by other parties, especially by the ruling party. It is a major task similar to mobilising votes of the public.”
The above concerns were echoed by candidates of all political parties. It may be recalled that at least 30 candidates of various political parties, except the ruling DMK, have joined other parties in the last 10 days.
Commenting on this trend, Tamil Nadu Congress general secretary GK Muralidharan told TNIE, “The ‘suspension’ of rebel candidates is an eyewash since these candidates would rejoin their party after the election. Mostly, alliance party candidates are affected by these rebels of Dravidian majors.
Wherever these rebels contest, their partymen would support them instead of alliance party candidates.” Veteran journalist and political observer Tharssu Shyam told TNIE, “There is no use in suspending or removing rebel candidates. The parties are removing them to please the party and alliance candidates.”
Besides, most of the candidates TNIE spoke to, expressed fear over the influence of independents.