In TN, parties deploy cadres at counting centres

With a nerve-wracking one-month long wait to know their fate in the just concluded Assembly polls, political parties in Tamil Nadu have gone the extra mile, deploying their cadres to keep a hawk-eyed vigil at various counting centres where the EVMs are kept in strong rooms.

The cadres are stationed on a round-the-clock vigil, even though the security personnel are maintaining a close watch at the centres.

Tamil Nadu went to polls on April 13, along with Kerala and Puducherry in a single phase but the counting will be taken up only on May 13, with the Election Commission factoring in the poll schedule of West Bengal where polls are being held in six phases. Counting of votes in West Bengal is slated for May 13.

With such an unprecedented situation in the political climate of Tamil Nadu, parties are anxious to ensure Electronic Voting Machines, which store in them the fate of many a candidate, remained immune from any attempts of "mischief".

This, despite the fact that police have deployed a four-tier security which includes state police and central paramilitary forces.

Such a vigil by party cadres is said to the first of its kind in the state, prompted by the one-month long gap between the dates of polling and counting, which is also unprecedented for Tamil Nadu.

The AIADMK had already made a pitch with the EC for allowing its cadre to be placed for EVMs security 'to prevent tampering of EVMs.'

Unmindful of the stress and tiredness caused by prolonged hours of work for them during elections, political workers also see such opportunities to re-affirm their loyalty to the party they claim allegiance to.

A cross-section of AIADMK and DMK workers who have been present in the counting centres in Chennai including Anna University and Loyola College, felt that such occasions gave them the chance to work for the party keeping aside other things.