74,416 Candidates File Nomination For TN Urban LB polls
Chennai, Feb 5: A total of 74,416 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the February 19 Urban Local body elections in Tamil Nadu, the scrutiny of which was taken up on Saturday.
The State Election Commission said ordinary elections to 649 urban local bodies in 21 Municipal Corporations, 138 Municipalities and 490 town panchayats will be held. While 14,701 candidates have filed their papers for 1,374 Corporation Ward member posts; 23,354 nominees have entered the fray for 3,843 Municipality Ward member posts and 36,361 have filed their papers for 7,621 Town Panchayat member posts.
After scrutiny today, the final list of candidates left in the fray would be known on Monday (February seven), the last day for withdrawals. Polling would be held on February 19 and the counting of votes will take place on February 22.
After the newly elected members assume office on March 2, the indirect elections for the Mayors and Deputy Mayors of the Corporations, the Chairpersons and Vice-chairpersons of the Municipalities and the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Town Panchayats will be held on 4th March.
The elections would witness a multi-cornered contest. Heading the field was the DMK-led Front, which consists of Congress, MDMK, VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and TVK. The Principal Opposition AIADMK is facing the polls along with TMC, after the PMK and the BJP, which had faced the 2021 Assembly polls together, walked out of the front and will contest the polls alone.
Other parties in the fray included, the DMDK of actor-politician Vijayakanth, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam, Naam Tamizhar Katchi of actor-director Seeman, AMMK led by TTV Dhinakaran, who is the nephew of expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala and other minor outfits.
