Polling began on a peaceful note for the byelection to Pudukkottai Assembly Constituency today. Men and women voters turned up before polling booths to exercise their franchise even the polling began at 0800hrs and formed long queues before the polling booths. Some women carried their babies also on their shoulders. The main contestants are the ruling AIADMK’s candidate Karthik Thondaman and the DMDK’s JagirHussian. The India Jananayaka Katchi’s Sreenivasan. Seventeen Independants are also in fray. At the women’s college, however, tension prevailed when the police tried to prevent photographers and television camerapersons from photographing the AIADMK candidate while he was casting his vote. However, the issue was sorted out. The byelection was necessitated due to the death of the sitting CPI MLA Muthukumaran in a road accident in April last. 97,371 male and 97,604 female votes will decide the fourtune of the candidates. Tight security arrangements made for peaceful conduct of the bypoll. UNI
