File Photo: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa with close aide Sasikala Natarajan during an election campaign for by-poll in Chennai (Press Trust of India)
Curtains came down on the campaign for the crucial June 27 bypoll to Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly segment being contested by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa that saw cadres of her rival CPI candidate C Mahendran turning out in large numbers on the last day today.
Though there are a total of 28 candidates in the fray but the battle is effectively between Jayalalithaa and CPI's C Mahendran, addressed by his comrades as 'CM'.
This has prompted the Left parties to dub the electoral battle as a 'CM vs CM fight.' CPM is also backing Mahendran.
Counting of votes will be taken up on June 30. The entire Tamil Nadu cabinet and senior AIADMK leaders met people individually, greeting them with folded hands and seeking votes for 'Amma' during the campaigning.
However, Jayalalithaa on her part addressed only 2 meetings during the bypoll campaign as she assured implementation of her election promises.
She chose to address the meetings in her personal vehicle that had a microphone fitted in it.
The AIADMK chief, during the campaign, refrained from any vitriolic attack against the opposition, including arch rival DMK, and chose to highlight her four year-old government's achievements in various sectors.
She claimed that main opposition parties had stayed away from contesting as her party could not be defeated.
Mr Mahendran for his part has been focusing on local issues affecting the voters of the constituency.
The bypoll has been necessitated to this North Chennai constituency after AIADMK's P Vetrivel had vacated it in May, apparently to enable Jayalalithaa seek re-election.
The AIADMK leader has to fulfil a constitutional requirement of getting elected as MLA within six months of becoming Chief Minister.
Ms Jayalalithaa returned to the top post on May 23 after securing an acquittal in a wealth case. She had been convicted in the case in September last by a trial court in Bangalore. She was later acquitted by the High Court.