THOOTHUKUDI: Reflecting on DMK’s winning streak, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi emerged victorious for a second consecutive term from the constituency on Tuesday, by bagging 5,40,729 votes out of the total 9,75,468 votes polled, or 66.88% or the votes.
Addressing reporters, Kanimozhi credited the DMK alliance’s victory to both implementation of poll promises and the anti-incumbency against the ruling NDA coalition at the centre.
After the counting in 21 rounds concluded, including postal ballots, Kanimozhi secured 5.4 lakh votes, while AIADMK’s Sivasamy Velumani landed the second position with 1,47,991 votes. The margin between Kanimozhi and Velumani stood at 3,92,738 votes, marginally higher than the 3,47,209 votes that she received in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Despite Kanimozhi’s victory, DMK party cadre expressed disappointment with the votes secured, and said that the dip may be due to the growth of BJP and NTK.
TMC-BJP SDR candidate Vijayaseelan garnered 1,22,080 votes and secured the third spot, while NTK’s Dr Roweena came in at fourth place with 1,20,300 votes.
It is pertinent to note that 27 candidates have lost deposits in the election in the constituency, including AIADMK, TMC-BJP, NTK and other candidates, as they could not secure one-sixth of the total valid votes.
NTK has registered a significant growth in the polls securing more than 10% votes as against the 5% (49,222 votes) in 2019.
Two EVMs yet to be counted
Amid complaints of electronic voting machines (EVM) used for polling at Venkatramanukampudur (Tiruchendur assembly constituency) and Sangampatti (Ottapidaram reserved segment), not clearing mock drill votes, Collector-cum-District Election Officer (DEO) seized the EVMs. As a result, the cumulative vote count stood at 9,73,066, against the 9,80,791 votes, including 7,725 postal votes, counted on Tuesday.