Chennai: The State has once again gone into election mode as the filing of nominations for the Vikravandi and Nanguneri Assembly by-polls started today. The Model Code of Conduct has been implemented in both the constituencies and the election preparations are happening at full swing- by officials as well as the partymen.
The ruling AIADMK started to receive nomination forms from candidates yesterday and it continued for the second day today.
It is said till yesterday 27 applications have been received at the AIADMK office. The aspirants have been asked to return the filled forms by 3 pm today at the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah. Interview of the candidates will start later today in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam who are also the joint coordinator and coordinator of the AIADMK, respectively. Meanwhile, the AIADMK MLAs’ meeting is scheduled to be held at 4 pm tomorrow.
While AIADMK will be contesting in both the constituencies, on behalf of the DMK-led alliance, DMK and Congress will contest in the Vikravandi and Nanguneri respectively. Aspirants in DMK have been asked to file their nominations before 6 pm today. DMK president M K Stalin will interview the candidates tomorrow 10 am at Arivalayam. Similarly, Congress too has invited applications from the cadres to contest from Nanguneri constituency.
The Election Commission of India on 21 September announced that by-elections for Vikravandi and Nanguneri Assembly constituencies will be held 21 October. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said the counting will take place on 24 October.
“Nominations will begin 23 September and last date to file papers is 30 September. Scrutiny will take place on 1 October and 3 October is the last day to withdraw the nominations,” he said in New Delhi, while announcing by-polls for 64 Assembly constituencies across the country and general elections for Maharashtra and Haryana Assemblies.
The Vikravandi Assembly seat fell vacant after DMK MLA K Rathamani passed away in June. Nanguneri is vacant after Congress MLA H Vasantha Kumar resigned in May after being elected as Member of Parliament.