The DMK’s victory march in the rural local bodies polls in the nine newly created districts continued on Wednesday, with its candidates winning in most places, pushing the principal opposition party, AIADMK, to a distant second. The results were in contrast to the outcome of the local bodies polls held in the remaining districts (other than Chennai) in December 2019. Back then, though the DMK outperformed the AIADMK, the latter, which was in power, had put up a good show.
As of 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday, DMK candidates secured 109 of the 153 district panchayat ward member seats and 876 of the 1,421 panchayat union ward member seats, as per figures available with the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission. The AIADMK trailed, bagging just one and 191 seats, respectively.
As for elections to posts contested without party affiliations and symbols, the results of 2,692 of the 3,007 village panchayat president posts and 17,444 of the 23,211 village panchayat ward member seats were announced.
Counting started on Tuesday morning at 74 centres. Over 31,200 officials were involved in the counting of votes and around 6,200 officials and police personnel were involved in security arrangements at the centres.
The two-phase ordinary elections to fill up posts in Chengalpattu, Kallakurichi, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Tirupattur, Vellore and Villupuram recorded a polling percentage of 77.9. A total of 79,433 candidates were in the fray for 23,998 posts.
