Chennai, August 18: Amid a boycott by main opposition AIADMK and two allies, bypolls to five assembly seats in Tamil Nadu were held today with about 66 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise.
With the main opposition party pulling out of the race, the by-elections are a cakewalk for the DMK-led alliance including Congress which is supporting the Karunanidhi government from outside.
No major untoward incidents were reported in Bargur, Cumbum, Ilayankudi, Thondamuthur and Srivaikuntam constituencies, Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta said.
The AIADMK and its allies MDMK and PMK boycotted the elections claiming they would not be “free and fair” with the DMK ruling in the state and Congress-led UPA at the Centre.
AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, who has been critical of the electronic voting machines, has also cited vulnerability of EVMs to tampering as a reason for the boycott.
Not falling in line with the AIADMK stand, its other partners, the CPI and CPI-M have fielded their candidates.
The by-elections were caused either due to the death or resignation of MLAs.
—Agencies