Chennai , 19 September (H.S.): The electoral battle in Madurantakam and Dharapuram is set to intensify, with the TVK naming 40 star campaigners for the October 6 by-elections to the two reserved Assembly constituencies.

Chief Minister and TVK president C. Joseph Vijay will lead the campaign. The list also includes Congress leader Manickam Tagore, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, Durai Vaiko and Kader Mohideen.

Political parties are preparing rallies, public meetings, street-corner campaigns and door-to-door outreach programmes. Several candidates have already begun meeting voters and mobilising grassroots workers.

The final lineup of contestants will be announced on Saturday after the deadline for withdrawing nomination papers ends. Election officials will subsequently allot symbols to independent candidates and nominees fielded by unrecognised parties.

Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district initially received nominations from 48 candidates. After scrutiny, election officials accepted the papers of 28 contestants.

The main candidates include TMC nominee Maragatham Kumaravel, DMK's Paranthaman, AIADMK candidate Ganitha Sampath, CPI(M)'s Sugandhi and Janakiraman of the Naam Tamilar Katchi. The final number of contestants will be known after the withdrawal process.

In Dharapuram, officials accepted 22 nomination papers following scrutiny. The constituency's final candidate list will also be released after withdrawals are completed.

The by-elections are being viewed as an important test of the parties' organisational strength and public support. Campaign discussions are likely to centre on local development requirements and wider political issues affecting Tamil Nadu.

Election officials have begun reviewing polling-station facilities, staff deployment and security arrangements for voting and counting.

With Vijay and several prominent alliance leaders preparing to enter the campaign, the contest is expected to become sharper in both constituencies during the final weeks before polling.

The outcome will indicate how effectively competing alliances can convert their organisational networks and campaign visibility into voter support at the constituency level.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman