The Hindu : Front Page : Central districts geared up for second phase of polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 15, 2006
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Front Page

Central districts geared up for second phase of polls

Syed Muthahar Saqaf

429 candidates in the fray in 60-ward Tiruchi Corporation

CRUCIAL CONSIGNMENT: Corporation Commissioner B. Balachandran (right) supervising the transportation of polling materials in Tiruchi on Saturday. — Photo: R. Ashok

TIRUCHI: Tiruchi Corporation along with 11 municipalities, 39 panchayat unions, 26 town panchayats and hundreds of village panchayats will go to polls in the second phase of elections to local bodies in the seven central districts on Sunday.

In the 60-ward Tiruchi Corporation, 429 candidates are in the fray. The Mayor, Sarubala R. Tondaiman of the Congress, the Deputy Mayor, M. Anbalagan of the DMK, AIADMK leaders Mariam Pitchai, Manoharan and Sirajudeen, the urban district president of the Congress, Jerome G. Arokyaraj are some of the prominent candidates. Matinee idol Vijayakanth's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) is the only party that has fielded candidates in all the wards.

The BJP, which had four members in the previous Corporation council, has fielded its candidates in 28 wards.

The municipalities of Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi and Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam district), Manapparai and Thuvakudi (Tiruchi), Tiruvarur and Tiruthuraipoondi (Tiruvarur), Kulithalai (Karur), Pattukottai (Thanjavur), Aranthangi (Pudukottai) and Jayamkondam (Perambalur) will also go to polls.

Independents and rebel candidates are giving a tough time to the candidates of both the leading fronts not only in the urban local bodies but also in rural areas. All the major political parties maintained the tempo of campaigning till the end by taking out processions and carrying out door-to-door campaign.

Shot in the arm

The peaceful and incident-free election in the first phase in the central region has come as a shot in the arm of the police, who are geared up for the second phase by deploying adequate strength in booths and other vital points. Additional police force will be deployed in booths identified as sensitive.

Mobile parties have also been formed to check the activities of anti-social elements. Companies of Karnataka State Reserve Police continue to be posted in Tiruchi and other central districts.

The AIADMK supremo, Jayalalithaa, the Congress leader, M. Krishnasswamy, Union Ministers, P. Chidambaram, and E.V.K.S. Elangovan, and the MDMK leader, Vaiko, addressed elections meetings in the city.

The meeting of the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, was cancelled owing to sudden rain.

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