The feverish last-lap campaign
to Madurai West bypoll is peaking as top leaders and the allies of the
two main political parties � the DMK and the AIADMK have taken to the nook
and cranny of the tense town.
Besides political heavyweights,
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalswami also arrived at Madurai
in the afternoon, after discussing the current scenario with Chief Electoral
Officer (CEO) Naresh Gupta in Chennai during the brief stopover.
The entire top brass of the
DMK and key ledaers of its alliance parties are camping in Madurai. Chief
Minister M Karunanidhi arrived in Madurai this morning and he will be addressing
a mega election meeting this evening at Sellur 60 ft road which will be
presided over by his son and confidante MK Azhagiri.
Congress leaders Veerappa
Moily, M Krishnaswamy, PMK leader Dr Ramaadoss, CPI (M) State stecretary
N Varadarajan, CPI leader T Pandian, Dalait Panthers of India leaeer Thirumavalavan
and a host of others are scheduled to address the meeting.
While Local Administration
Minister MK Stalin started his campaign from Mela Kailaasapuram railway
gate today and meandered through Sivagami Nagar, his sister and MP Kanimozhi
sought votes for the Congress candidate yesterday in many dusty lanes of
the temple city.
KSK Rajendran, a Congress
nominee is the candidate of the DMK-led Democratic Progessive Alliance.
AIADMK general secretary
J Jayalalithaa who campaigned on 21 June, will be coming to Madurai tomorrow
to garner votes for her party candidate Sellur Raju.
She will arrive by 1 pm and
is likely to address a dozen street corner election meetings in an open
van in areas like Karumbalai, Ramarayar Mandapam, Alwarpuram, Keerai Thoppu,
Palam Station Road, Nadumedu and Arapalayam.
Meanwhile, Naresh Gupta had
a one-on-one discussion with Gopalaswamy today at the Chennai Airport.
The CEC who arrived from
New Delhi this morning met the CEO at the VIP lounge. It may be recalled
that Naresh Gupta attended a crucial meeting of top Election Commission
(EC) officials in New Delhi yesterday and returned to Chennai the same
day.
Strangely, the EC which gave
clear indications of postponing the polls in the light of lapses in the
law and order situation reversed its decision after the meeting and decided
to go ahead with the byelection on 26 June.
The sudden statement of Union
Minister of State for Finance, SS Palanimanickam that Chief Minister M
Karunanidhi will sit on a fast in Delhi if the EC postponed the polls is
said to have played a crucial role in the decision of the EC, informed
sources in the commission said.
