2016 TN Assembly Election - Voting begins in Thanjavur, Aravakkurichi and for by-polls in Thirupparankundram today Saturday Nov 19,2016

Amid tight security, voting began today for polls in Thanjavur, Aravakkurichi and for by-polls in Thirupparankundram in Tamil Nadu and the lone Nellithope seat in neighbouring Puducherry. 

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, a non-member of the House, is taking on AIADMK candidate Om Sakthi Segar, at Nellithope. 

In Tamil Nadu, people began queuing up in polling stations enthusiastically in all the constituencies and local poll officials said the voting percentage was between eight and ten approximately in the first hour. Polling began at 7 am. 

Rangasamy (AIADMK) and DMK’s Anjugam Bhoopathy are the main contenders in Thanjavur.

In Aravakkurichi, Senthil Balaji (AIADMK) and KC Palanisamy (DMK) are in the fray, while AIADMK’s AK Bose is pitted against DMK’s Saravanan in Thirupparankundram. 

Chief Minister and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa, undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals, has urged people to vote for her party in the three constituencies and lone seat in Puducherry. 

Jayalalithaa, for the first time since she was admitted to hospital on September 22, has appealed to people to “give your love and support to AIADMK in the present polls as well, remembering such innumerable schemes to enhance the people’s standard of living.” 

While in Aravakkurichi the total electorate is 2,00,347, in Thanjavur it is 2,68,516 and in Thiruparankundram 2,85,980. 

Aravakkurichi has 245 polling stations, while Thanjavur 276 and Thiruparankundram 291. In the three constituencies, over 5,000 personnel are deployed for poll-related duties and there are nearly 1,000 micro observers.

Tamil Nadu, Puducherry by-polls

The polling for three Tamil Nadu assembly constituencies -- Thirupparankundram, Aravakkurichi and Thanjavur -- and the lone Nellithope constituency in Puducherry began at 7 am on Saturday.
In Tamil Nadu, nearly 7.54 lakh voters are expected to exercise their vote and decide the fate of 81 candidates in the fray in the three constituencies.
In Aravakkurichi, ruling AIADMK's V. Senthil Balaji will fight it out against the DMK's K.C. Palanisamy while at Thirupparankundram the AIADMK's A.K. Bose will take on the DMK's P. Saravanan.
In Thanjavur, the AIADMK's M. Rengasamy is pitted against the DMK's Anjugam Bhoopathy.
In Thirupparankundram, the by-election has been necessitated by the death of AIADMK's legislator S.S. Seenivel.
While there are other parties in the contest, the contest is mainly between the AIADMK and the DMK in Tamil Nadu.
In Puducherry's Nellithope, Congress leader V. Narayanasamy is contesting against AIADMK nominee Om Shakthi Segar.
The counting of votes will be held on November 22,2016

Assembly bypolls are also underway in Hayuliang-ST (Arunachal Pradesh), Nepanagar-ST (Madhya Pradesh), Montestwar (West Bengal), Thiruparankundram (Tamil Nadu), Barjala and Khowai (both Tripura) and Nellithope (Puducherry)