Chennai: With just less than a week for the first phase of the rural local body polls, political parties are campaigning in full swing.
Polls for the nine districts – Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruppatur, Villupuram, Kakkalurichi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi – will be held in two phases on 6 October and 9 October. As far as the DMK is concerned Chief Minister M K Stalin is directly overseeing the poll works.
The party would want to ensure that it continues to enjoy the support of the people after the recent win in the Assembly elections. DMK continues its alliance with the parties which were part of its coalition for the Assembly polls.
On the other hand AIADMK wants to regain its support and will be looking to get a hold in the local body elections. BJP continues to be part of the alliance, however PMK has walked out.
AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami held meetings with top office-bearers and party functionaries on election strategies.
Vijayakanth’s DMDK and Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam will be contesting alone in the polls.
Kamal Haasan has already begun canvassing for his party candidates and is looking to prove the party’s hold in the State politics. Senior leaders from the parties are also actively taking part in the election campaign. The model code of conduct came into effect in these nine districts with the announcement of the polls. The counting of votes will take place on 12 October.
A total of 76,59,720 voters would exercise their franchise in the two phase polls. As many as 1.10 lakh government employees would be engaged in poll duty. The commission has engaged an IAS officer as election observer for each district.