RK Nagar bypoll Highlights: Dhinakaran wins by a margin of 40,707 votes

The counting of votes for the RK Nagar assembly seat, which was earlier held by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, concluded with sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran winning by a huge margin. Here are the updates.

TTV Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed leader V K Sasikala, won the crucial RK Nagar bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes.

Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran arrives to file his nomination for the RK Nagar bypoll as an independent candidate on December 1, 2017. Early trends in the counting of votes have given him a favourable lead.(PTI File Photo)

He trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by 40,707 votes in the assembly constituency in north Chennai.

The bypoll necessitated by the death of the AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year was held on December 21 and the votes were counted on Sunday.

Here are the updates:

6:55 pm: It’s a victory for all. This government will not be here for two more months. Two leaves symbol was a victory symbol when it was with amma. But now it’s with villains, how can they win: TTV Dhinakaran.

6:00 pm:

5:17 pm: TTV Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll by a margin of 40,707 votes, a gap wider than Jayalalithaa’s victory from the seat in 2016 general elections.

4:35 pm: Vote tally after the end of 16 rounds

TTV Dhinakaran- 81315

AIADMK’s Madhusudhanan- 44522,

DMK’s N Marudhu Ganesh- 22962

BJP-1236

3:50 pm: Vote tally stands at:

TTV Dhinakaran- 68302

AIADMK’s Madhusudhanan- 36211

DMK’s N Marudhu Ganesh- 8928

BJP-942

3:45 pm: Dhinakaran visits memorials of party stalwarts--the late M G Ramachandran (party founder) and Jayalalithaa--at the Marina Beach.

He prostrates at Jayalalithaa’s mausoleum.

2:35pm: Vote tally stands thus:

TTV Dhinakaran – 44,308 votes

AIADMK’s E Madhusudhanan – 21,972 votes

DMK’s N Marudhu Ganesh – 11,431 votes

Nota –1,151 votes

BJP – 636 votes

2:30pm: Round eight also goes to Dhinakaran who gets 44,308 votes.

2pm: TTV Dhinakaran goes to Marina beach to pay tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary.

1:30pm: Dhinakaran continues strong with more than double the votes than AIADMK.

1:05pm: Counting speeds up. Sixth round also ends with Dhinakaran in lead. Vote tally stands thus:

TTV Dhinakaran – 34,346 votes

AIADMK’s E Madhusudhanan – 17,471 votes

DMK’s N Marudhu Ganesh – 9, 206 votes

12:50pm: Before boarding his flight from Madurai to Chennai, sidelined AIADMK leader Dhinakaran says he is the “real successor of Amma”. “RK Nagar poll leads reflects the whole Tamil Nadu’s peoples’ minds. People want me to succeed Amma (Jayalalithaa),” he tells media at the airport.

12:45pm: Dhinakaran, who is leading in the RK Nagar bypoll, takes a shot at the ruling AIADMK party. “I firmly believe that it is time for this government to go, and in the coming three months you will see this government go,” ANI quotes him as saying.

12:39pm: In the fifth round, Dhinakaran registers 24,132 votes – still a formidable lead ahead of AIADMK’s Madhusudhanan who has 13,057 votes and DMK Marudhu Ganesh who has 6606 votes: ANI

12:20pm: Fourth round of counting ends. EC trends give Dhinakaran a lead of 4430 votes, AIADMK comes second with 2639 votes and DMK maintain third spot with 1341 votes. On to round five of counting.

12:07pm: Dhinakaran crosses 20,000 votes, more than double of the AIADMK’s around 10,000 votes. DMK a distant third with 5,000 votes in the RK Nagar bypoll counting of votes.

12:03pm: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran await his arrival from Madurai at Chennai airport. The independent candidate has held a comfortable lead so far, a fact that is likely to upset political equations in Tamil Nadu.

11:39am: TTV Dhinakaran gets over 18,000 votes while AIADMK scores around 7000. Trends look favourable for the independent candidate.

11:30am: Third round of counting also ends. TTV Dhinakaran gets a wide lead of 5447 votes. Is trailed by Madhusudhanan, who has 2512 votes, and Marudhu Ganesh with 1367 votes, according to EC: ANI

10:52am: Election Commission announces latest trend — TTV Dhinakaran leads with 5082 votes, AIADMK’s Madhusudhanan gets 1783 votes and DMK’s N Marudhu Ganesh gets 1142 votes in second round of counting, reports ANI.

10:25am: Dhinakaran supporters kick off celebrations by lighting firecrackers and distributing sweets as the independent candidate maintains his lead, though still early in the race.

10:01am: ANI quotes Chennai district Electoral Officer as saying, “Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on.” Counting was halted for about 15 minutes after AIADMK supporters clashed with Dhinakaran supporters.

10am: TTV Dhinakaran crosses the 10,000 votes mark while AIADMK stands at roughly 4521 votes. DMK is at a distant third with 2383 votes and the BJP is at a poor fifth, behind VCK.

9:45am: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate outside the counting centre as early official trends gave him a lead in the race for RK Nagar seat.

9:35am: Counting of votes suspended for sometime as fight breaks out between rival factions of AIADMK at counting centre. Para military force personnel swing into action to bring situation under control.

Election officials wait for the disturbance to settle down before resuming counting of votes, at Queen Mary’s College in Chennai. (ANI/Twitter)

9:30am: Official Election Commission trend indicates independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5339 votes, followed by AIADMK’s E Madhusudhanan with 2738 votes after first round of counting.

9:15am: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami, deputy CM O Panneerselvam among those paying tributes to MG Ramachandran.

9am: Meanwhile, AIADMK leaders gather at Marina Beach at the memorial of party founder MG Ramachandran to mark his 30th death anniversary.

8:55am: BJP gets 66 votes so far.

8:30am: Police hold cordon around the centre as Election Commission officials count the votes.

8:15am: First postal vote goes to the DMK.

8am: Counting begins at Queen Mary’s College.

(With agency inputs)