Chennai: The trend of ruling party winning the bypolls continues in the state, but the opposition DMK has the consolation of bringing down the margin in two of the three seats compared to the results in the last five years.
The DMK lost Aravakurichi by a margin of 23,661 votes, while the difference in Thanjavur is 26,874. As expected, the DMK lost by a big margin of 42,670 votes in the AIADMK bastion Thirupparankundram.
Although, a margin of over 20,000 is an impressive performance, the AIADMK has set record margins for victories in the previous bypolls. In Sankarankoil bypoll in 2012, the AIADMK crushed the DMK by a huge difference of about 68,000 votes.In Pudukottai byelection, when the DMK did not contest, the DMDK which fielded its candidate faced a drubbing by about 71,000 votes.
In the Yercaud bypoll in 2013, the AIADMK recorded a thumping win by about 78,000 votes. In Srirangam bypoll, AIADMK nominee S.Valarmathi battered the DMK candidate by about 96,000 votes. The DMK did not contest in R.K. Nagar bypoll.
The AIADMK has failed to live up to the huge records it has set primarily because of the absence of party supremo J. Jayalalithaa, who used to undertake whirlwind tour of the bypoll constituencies, spending at least one day in each seat. However, AIADMK spokesperson 'Avadi' Kumar said Aravakurichi and Thanjavur could not be considered as bypolls. The Assembly elections which was cancelled was held in those constituencies. He argued that Thirupparankundram where a bypoll was held, the AIADMK has won by over 40,000 votes. But, even this margin is lesser since the temple town is considered a bastion of the ruling party.
DMK functionaries were expecting the fight to be closer, especially in Thanjavur, where the farmers were facing crisis due to unavailability of Cauvery water. DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin charged the ruling party with failing to convene an all party meeting and exert pressure on the centre to form the Cauvery Management Board. But, the results suggest that farmers have voted on party lines and not swayed by the Cauvery plank.
Stalin has the satisfaction of wiping out the DMDK from the state's political landscape as the actor's party polled less than one per cent votes in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur. In both the seats, the DMDK has obtained over seven per cent votes when it contested alone in 2006. In Thirupparankundram, the DMDK which had polled 14.85 per cent votes in 2006 has se-cu-red only 2.02 per cent now.
The slogans for alternate politics has lost sheen with PWA boycotting the bypolls, PMK not having presence in the three seats and the BJP garnering between one to three per cent votes in the three bypolls. PMK finished below the Naam Thamizhar party in Thanjavur.
AIADMK cadres celebrate in front of Apollo
AIADMK cadres were in a mood of celebration on Tuesday following the victories in the bypolls to the three constituencies Aravakurichi, Thanjavur and Thirupparankundram.
Since 2011 Assembly elections, the results of every poll, be it for Assembly, Parliament or bypoll, has become aN occasion for celebration for the AIADMK. But, today’s bypoll wins have lifted the mood of the ruling camp at a time when its supremo J. Jayalalithaa remains in hospital.
Usually, the scenes of celebration will unfold before the leader’s Poes Garden residence, but this time cadres, especially women gathered before the Apollo Hospitals at Greams Road, where the Chief Minister is being treated for the last two months.
The women cadres started dancing in front of the hospitals as soon as the trends for the bypolls started coming out and the air was rented with cries of ‘Long live Puratchithalaivi’. They distributed sweets to one another and showed the victorious 'two leaves' symbol. They also broke pumpkins in front of the hospital.
Tender coconuts too were distributed to the cadres, who had gathered at Greams Road since early morning.
There were celebrations throughout the state and party workers burst crackers to express their jubilation.
