Madurantakam: Parties make final pitch as bypoll campaign ends

CHENNAI: The high-voltage campaign for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram bypolls ended on Sunday, with TVK president and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay winding up his campaign with a 40km roadshow in Dharapuram.

Campaigning ended at 6pm, as mandated by the Election Commission, ahead of Tuesday's polling in the two reserved constituencies. TVK, DMK, AIADMK, NTK and the Left parties are locked in a five-way contest.

Counting is scheduled for October 9.

The TVK is seeking to win both seats and raise its strength in the 234-member Assembly to 109, nine short of the majority mark.

The bypolls were necessitated by the resignation of sitting AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, who joined the TVK. Vijay has renominated both, turning the contests into a direct battle with the DMK and AIADMK.

The DMK has fielded former MLA I Paranthamen in Madurantakam and Suganya in Dharapuram, while the AIADMK is seeking to regain the seats. The NTK, CPM and CPI have also fielded candidates.

The Left parties accused the TVK and other parties of distributing cash.