DMK makes gains in south T.N.
The Hindu
However, it also suffered some shock defeats in the region
Voters in south Tamil Nadu have helped candidates of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance win or establish leads in 41 of the 58 constituencies. However, the DMK also suffered some shock defeats like that of former Minister Suresh Rajan in Nagercoil to M.R. Gandhi of the BJP. Though the region gave the party its highest victory margin of over 1.3 lakh votes in Athoor where its senior leader I. Periasamy defeated the PMK candidate, the DMK could not get the better of Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam. Nonetheless, Thanga Tamil Selvam put up a tough fight to the Theni veteran in Bodinayakkanur. Likewise, the DMK was unable to stop former Minister Nainar Nagendran of the BJP, who defeated its candidate Lakshmanan in Tirunelveli.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.