RK Nagar by-poll result : With 'Jayalalitha's blessings' independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran books massive victory by 40,707 votes

Independent candidate TTV Dinakaran has won the constituency of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalitha by a massive vistory. His secured R K Nagar by a margine of 40707 votes.

The sidelined AIADMK leader thanked the voters for supporting him. He has vowed to bring down the EPS-OPS government in the state within the next three months. 

The constituency is believed to be the litmus test for all major political parties and candidates in the southern state.

AIADMK’s E Madhusudhanan, Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran and DMK’s N. Marudhu Ganesh are among the top contenders. It is vital for the AIADMK, which has been directionless since Ms Jayalalithaa died, to establish that Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his team are in control.

People of the constituency had excercised their franchise in 258 polling booths on Thursday. R K Nagar has an electorate of 2,28,234 comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in and around the college campus to ensure safe and peaceful counting by the Tamil Nadu Police. According to a senior police policemen around 500 state police personnel and 200 Central Armed Police Police (CAPF) have been stationed in the counting centre.

The seat had fallen vacant due to the death of sitting member and then chief minister Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year. She was elected from the constituency in May 2016 general election to the state assembly.

Here are the live updates

# Sidelined AIADMK leader and independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll.

Official EC Final Result: TTV #Dhinakaran at 89013 votes, #AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan at 48306 votes, #DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh at 24651, #BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1417 votes at the end of counting. #Dhinakaran wins by 40707 votes #RKNagarElectionResult pic.twitter.com/01g7Qknx1h

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

# BJP candidate Karu Nagarajan booked only 1236 votes as 2203 voters preffered NOTA. 

# E Madhusudan to retain his deposit as he has polled one-sisth of total valid votes. 

 

#UPDATE Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 68392 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan at 36217 votes, DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh at 18924 , BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1126 votes at the end of counting round 14 #RKNagarElectionResult

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

# Tenth round: 

#UPDATE Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 48808 total votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 25567 votes, DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 13015 votes at the end of counting round 10 #RKNagarByPoll

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

# Eighth round: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 39548 total votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 19525 and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 10233 

# TTV Dhinakaran said, "I have Amma's wishes."

# Sixth round: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 29255 votes, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan 15181 and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 7986

# Fifth round: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 24312 votes, followed by AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan 13057 and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh 6606 

#  TTV Dinakaran (Independent)-  20,298; AIADMK's Madhusudhanan - 7,033; DMK's - 3,750 Others: 2,229

# Third round: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 5447 votes. AIADMKs E. Madhusudhanan 2512 votes and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh 1367 

#  Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate, burst crackers outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead

# Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead

# Counting halted for about 15 minutes after clash between AIADMK and Dhinakaran supporters, later resumed. Chennai district Electoral Officer says "Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on"

# Early trends indicate DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 1181 votes

# Early trends indicate TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5339 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 2738 votes

# After the first round of counting Dhinakaran leading with 5399 votes followed by ADMK 2738 and DMK trailing by 1181.

#  Counting of votes begins in Chennai

# DMK MLA Sudharsanam alleges that AIADMK members without proper permission allowed inside the counting centers.

# There will be 19 rounds of voting.

# One postal vote was received.