Despite facing defeat by a huge margin, the CPM and BJP candidates found solace with their parties' performance
Poll staff count the postal votes in Coimbatore on Monday. (Photo: DC/File)
Coimbatore: Despite facing defeat by a huge margin, the CPM and BJP candidates found solace with their parties' performance in the by-polls in Coimbatore. BJP candidate R. Nandakumar said people had expressed their resentment towards the AIADMK by staying off the polls.
"The boycott of elections by a vast majority of the people is itself a victory for our party," he said. He said around 20 AIADMK ministers camped in Coimbatore for the polls. "Henceforth, I wish that at least one minister visits Coimbatore on a weekly basis and takes up welfare activities," he said.
CPM leader C. Padmanabhan, too, is quite pleased with his party's showing. "Despite the use of money and muscle power by the ruling AIADMK, over 5 per cent of voters have voted in favour of our party, recognising our services. This has given us great confidence and boosted our morale. Though the AIADMK has secured victory, the means by which they attained it will remain a blot on democracy," said CPM mayoral candidate Padmanabhan.
He added, "I expected only around 25,000 votes, but I am extremely happy to have secured 31,965 votes." In the last mayoral elections, CPM's U.K. Sivagnanam polled 29,000 votes and the BJP's G.K.S. Selvakumar polled 24,000. However, the absence of rivals like the Congress and DMK in the by-polls could have led to an increase in votes for the BJP and CPM.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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