CHENNAI: Like the neighbouring Chennai, the Tambaram Corporation recorded a low voter turnout of 49.98 per cent in the local body elections on Saturday.Elections in six wards earmarked for SC women (4, 12, 13, 27,31 and 51) and ward 52 (general category but contested by SC woman from VCK), witnessed relatively intense polling as one among the winners is set to become the first mayor of Tambaram Corporation. DMK and AIADMK had a direct fight in 58 wards out of 70.
K Rajaraman (83) of Tambaram, who cast his vote at Valluvar Gurukulam Matriculation School, said, “Those above the age of 80 should have been allowed to cast their votes through postal ballots. The election arrangements were fine except for the absence of social distancing.”
At some booths, DMK supporters were seen enthusiastically participating in assisting voters. Often, ruling party cadre entered the premises of polling stations but were evicted by police. DMK supporters even engaged in campaigning by displaying the portraits and pictures of the DMK candidates at party camps near booths. The AIADMK camps remained less crowded except in wards 12, 13, 52 and a few other places.
Both the DMK and AIADMK helped in transportation of voters. With the Pallavaram region comprising 21 wards out of 70, a DMK supporter said: “We will demand that the mayor post be allocated to one of the winning candidates in Pallavaram area.” He added: “Since rivalries within the party may go against their partymen, both DMK and AIADMK have not revealed the potential mayor candidates for the corporation.”
Last year, the Tambaram municipality was upgraded to corporation annexing four other municipalities and five town panchayats. During delimitation, a few wards were formed by merging border areas of two municipalities or town panchayats. “Ward 27 comprises areas from both Pallavaram and Pammal. Voters from Pammal will not vote for the candidate from Pallavaram regardless of the party,” said S Krishnan, a voter from Pammal.
In Chembakkam, an EVM machine was replaced due to glitches. At booth 407 in ward 63, a person named Vallavan of Thiruvarur allegedly attempted to cast a fake vote in the name of Karthick. He was caught red handed by DMK supporters.