RK Nagar bypoll results: Dhinakaran wins, bags over 72,000 votes

Dinakaran, who contested as an Independent candidate for RJ Nagar bypoll, got 72,518 votes.

PTI photo

CHENNAI: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV.Dinakaran on Sunday ensured a massive victory over his nearest rival, E.Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK in the by-election for the Radhakrishnan Nagar (RKNagar) constituency that fell vacant after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Dinakaran, who contested as an Independent, had got 72,518 votes as against Madhusudhanan's 39,029 votes. DMK candidate N Marudhu Ganesh has got 20,493 votes.

While 1,924 voters have voted for `none of the above` (NOTA) option, BJP candidate K.Nagarajan has got 1,185 votes.

From the start, Dinakaran was in the lead and the gap between him and the rivals got widened when the counting progressed.

The by-poll was necessitated following the death of sitting member and AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on December 5, 2016.

24 December 2017

16:26 IST

TTV Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll, crosses magic 72,000 votes

16:26 IST

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 68392 votes at the end of counting round 14 

AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan: 36217 votes
DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh: 18924 
BJP's Karu Nagarajan: 1126 

15:41 IST

Latest counting trends: 

TTV Dhinakaran: 64627 
AIADMK: 33446
DMK: 15918

15:40 IST

Dhinakaran headed for big win, claims I am the real successor of Jayalalithaa 

14:30 IST

TTV Dhinakaran pays floral tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at MGR memorial in Marina Beach #Chennai pic.twitter.com/mcMp9jiHoH

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

14:25 IST

Latest counting trends:

1. TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 44,094
2. E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 19,525
3. N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 10,292
4. Others: 6,490

14:23 IST

After eight rounds of counting, Dhinakaran recieves over 44,000 votes.

13:11 IST

"I am an independent candidate for namesake but all Party (AIADMK) workers are with me. I also have Amma's wishes," says Dhinakaran.

13:05 IST

Official EC trends after Round 6 of counting

TTV Dhinakaran: 29255 votes

AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan: 15181 votes

DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh: 7986 votes

13:05 IST

Dhinakaran leads with massive 29255 votes

12:59 IST

Dhinakaran reaches Chennai

12:48 IST

Dhinakaran addresses media: 

I firmly believe that it is time for this government to go, and in the coming 3 months you will see this government go: TTV Dhinakaran in Madurai #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/v5uhgQ6T3J

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

12:37 IST

Official EC trends (at the end of counting round 5):

• TTV Dhinakaran leads with 24132 total votes
• AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 13057 votes
• DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 6606 votes 

12:30 IST

At the end of fourth round of counting at RK Nagar bypoll, Dhinakaran leads RK by-election results with 20,298 votes.
AIADMK's E Madhusudanan gets 9,672 votes while DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh gets 5032.

11:48 IST

After four round of counting,

• Dhinakaran leading with 20,298 votes
• AIADMK's Madhusudhanan gets 9,672 votes
• DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 5,091 votes

11:45 IST

"During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the pressure cooker (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," he said.

11:45 IST

"We are the true AIADMK... People of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor," says Dhinakaran.

11:42 IST

Trends:

TTV Dhinakaran: 15,868 votes

AIADMK's Madhusudhanan: 7,033 votes

DMK's Maruthu Ganesh: 3,750 votes

11:41 IST

Once again, Dhinakaran establishes a massive lead in the third round of voting. 

11:01 IST

The current EPS-OPS government will fall within 3 months, says Dhinakaran while addressing the media

10:55 IST

As per official EC trends after two rounds of counting:

TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5082 votes

AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 1783 votes

DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 1142 votes 

10:22 IST

Counting halted again as protesters create a ruckus. 

10:20 IST

Election result trends

TTV Dinakaran (Independent):10,391 

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 4,520 

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 2,323 

K Nagarajan (BJP): 66

NOTA: 102

10:17 IST

Dhinakaran supporters celebrate:

Chennai: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate, burst crackers outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/qNGVnNj0Wd

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

10:09 IST

"After Amma, TTV Dhinakaran is the mass leader of Tamil Nadu," say supporters.

10:06 IST

Second round of counting going on, 17 rounds of counting left

10:02 IST

AIADMK supporters demand the media coverage be stopped immediately and journalists removed from counting centre. 

10:00 IST

Counting has now resumed.

"Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on," says Chennai district Electoral Officer.

10:00 IST

Counting halted for nearly 15 minutes after clash between AIADMK and Dhinakaran supporters

09:45 IST

Paramilitary forces have been rushed in to control the situation

09:45 IST

Second-round of counting halted due to clashes.

09:44 IST

Dhinakaran supporters celebrate the early trends 

Chennai: TTV Dhinakaran supporters celebrate outside a counting center as early official EC trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/XfBkehnknB

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

09:39 IST

Clashes erupt between AIADMK members and Dhinakaran supporters.

Election Officers attacked

09:31 IST

Early Trends 

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 7,276
E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 2,737 
N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 1,181 
K Nagarajan (BJP): 66
NOTA: 102

09:29 IST

Counting halted after war of words breaks out between the agents of Independent candidate TTV Dinakaran and AIADMK.

09:16 IST

TTV Dhinakaran takes massive lead. 

08:46 IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran at his Marina Beach memorial

08:39 IST

#RKNagarByPoll Counting of votes underway ; Visuals from a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/00fT9mYX4Q

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

08:39 IST

#Visuals from late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran memorial at Marina Beach in #Chennai on his 30th death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/bFFEK1pHTg

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

08:10 IST

RK Nagar by-poll counting will be conducted in 19 rounds at Queen Mary’s College. One postal vote has also been received.

08:07 IST

The counting of votes will take place at the Queen Mary’s College in Chennai 

08:06 IST

Security arrangements have been beefed up in various parts of Chennai

08:05 IST

#RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes begins; #Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/c1OSHQ03Tf

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

07:59 IST

Counting of vote begins 

07:35 IST

"Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way," said Karu Nagarajan, BJP candidate from RK Nagar, outside a vote counting centre in Chennai. 

07:35 IST

#RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/ORKYAc9LF7

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

07:26 IST

RK Nagar by-poll counting will begin at 8 am

07:26 IST

The RK Nagar polls were scheduled to be held in April 2017 but later cancelled after complaints of large-scale voter bribing by a candidate.

07:25 IST

The Dhinakaran camp is facing flak for releasing a video clip of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a hospital bed.

07:23 IST

Over 59 candidates are in the fray. However, the by-poll is mainly seen as a fight between the ruling AIADMK, its rival faction led by Dhinakaran and DMK.