CUDDALORE: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam combine and the Democratic Progressive Alliance won four Assembly seats each in Cuddalore district, leaving just one to the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.

The electorate returned candidates of the AIADMK at Chidambaram and Bhuvanagiri and candidates of the Dalit Panthers of India at Mangalore and Kattumannarkoil. Of the nine seats allotted to the DPI in the State, it has won only these two.

The DMK won the Cuddalore, Kurinjipadi and Nellikuppam seats; Panruti went to the PMK. The sitting PMK MLA of Panruti, T. Velmurugan, who polled 54,653 votes, defeated his AIADMK rival R. Rajendran (54,505 votes) by a slim margin of 148 votes.

The former Minister, S. Ramachandran of the DMDK, came third with 30,133 votes. At Cuddalore and Kurinjipadi, DMK candidates G. Iyappan and M.R.K. Panneer Selvam emerged victorious.

Mr. Iyappan polled 67,003 votes against G. Kumar of AIADMK, who polled 60,737 votes. Mr. Panneer Selvam polled 56,462 votes, defeating N. Ramalingam of the MDMK, who got 54,547 votes. At Nellikuppam, Saba Rajendran of DMK got 57,403 voters against R.T. Sabapathi Mohan of MDMK's 45,323 votes.

A. Arunmozhithevan of the AIADMK, who polled 56,327 votes, won an impressive victory over his nearest rival K. Balakrishnan of the Communist Party of India (39,517 votes) at Chidambaram. The AIADMK made a come back in the constituency after 12 years.

Selvi Ramajayam of the AIADMK won the Bhuvanagiri seat, by polling 65,505 votes against K. Devadass of the PMK, who polled 50,682 votes.

Decisive verdict

The results showed that the electorate in Cuddalore district favoured the Dravidian parties equally.

However, Vriddhachalam returned Mr. Vijayakant in a decisive verdict.

It is widely held that Mr. Vijayakant's victory is significant, as the people have demonstrated that they would not hesitate to vote out the established parties.

The growth of the DMDK will now depend upon how Mr. Vijayakant performs.

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