Independents play dependables for major parties

Usually prominent persons from the area contest the polls as Independents to show their displeasure against a particular party or a candidate. On many occasions, it has spoiled the victory chances of parties. For instance, Prince Thangavel, an independent candidate who contested in 2001 in Musiri, secured 35,000 votes which played spoilsport for Vivekanandan of DMK. Mallika Chinnasamy of AIADMK, who secured around 60,000 votes, became the winner. Similarly, K Ponnusamy who contested in Manapparai segment in 2011, secured 52,721 votes, while AIADMK’s R Chandrasekar managed to get 81,020 votes. 

Though there is no serious activity or poll stunts by any of the independent candidates this time, some seem to have filed their nominations make a good ‘business’ deal. Sources said that each candidate can appoint an agent in each polling booth. And the major parties have sought the help of these independent candidates and reportedly ‘purchased’ their agents for about Rs 1 lakh. “The understanding is that the independent candidate will appoint the agents referred by the political party concerned and they will work in disguise for the party,” a close friend of an independent candidate said.

Interestingly, independent candidates who are namesakes of the nominees of major political parties are the hot picks of the rival camps. A case in point is Tiruchy West, where an independent candidate’s name (R Manohar) is similar to that of AIADMK candidate (R Manoharan). In Lalgudi, the names of both an Independent candidate and DMK nominee is Soundarapandian. 

Similarly, at Aravakurichi in Karur district, the independent candidate is K Palanisamy may well be mistaken for DMK candidate K C Palanisamy. “However, the confusion due to name similarity will not work, as photograph of each candidate will be displayed with their respective party symbol on the EVMs,” an election official on condition of anonymity said.

Meanwhile, a maximum number of independent candidates are contesting at Aravakurichi in Karur district with 24 out of 36 total candidates and the minimum number is in Pattukkottai in Thanjavur district where only one independent is in the fray.