2G issue dominates RK Nagar on polling day

CHENNAI: On the day of the 2G verdict that acquitted all the accused including DMK leaders M K Kanimozhi and A Raja, a three cornered contest between the ruling AIADMK, its rival faction led by TTV Dhinakaran and the main opposition party DMK, for the R K Nagar seat vacated by the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa saw brisk voter turnout on Thursday.

The RK Nagar bye election has been mired in controversy over rampant cash distribution since the day campaigning began earlier this month.

While the ruling AIADMK and its rival factions pointed fingers at each other when questioned about the cash seizures, the DMK and the BJP were busy filing complaints with the Election Commission. However, for the DMK which was awaiting the 2G verdict on a polling day, the news couldn’t have been better.


While some residents attributed the brisk voter turn-out to alleged cash dole outs, voters in R K Nagar were queuing up outside polling booths amid some big developments.

The news of 2G verdict overshadowed developments in RK Nagar on polling day, while the polling eve left the constituency covered under a cloud of mystery over the surfacing of an alleged video clip of Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation released by Dhinakarain aide and disqualified MLA P Vetrivel on Wednesday.

“For the past 4-5 days some residents have not gone to work in fear of missing out on the free cash. Their view is that this is the only benefit they can get from the political class for the next few years,” said Nagaraj, a resident of Korukkupet in RK Nagar.

Polling stations saw their share of glitches through the day, even as residents kept pouring in to register their votes. A brief disruption ensued in some areas after a few electronic voting machines (EVMs) were found to be dysfunctional. Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni looking into the matter later confirmed "I saw to the machines. They have been attended to and are functional."