Chennai: A total of 139 candidates, including those from the ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK, are in the fray for the November 19 elections to three Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, as the filing of nominations ended on Wednesday.

While a, Aravakurichi and Thanjavur will have elections as they were cancelled for these two seats in May.
Aravakkurichi topped the list with 59 nominations, followed by Thirupparankundram (44) and Thanjavur (36), State Chief Electoral Offi cer Rajesh Lakhoni told reporters here.

Besides AIADMK and DMK candidates, PMK, BJP and DMDK nominees too are contesting the polls. A number of independents are also in the fray. The four-party combine, People’s Welfare Front (PWF), comprising MDMK, CPI (M), CPI and VCK, has boycotted the polls.

Filing of nominations, which started on October 26, ended yesterday. The scrutiny will be taken up on Thursday and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is November 5. In Aravakkurichi constituency, V Senthil Balaji (AIADMK) and KC Palanisamy (DMK) and in Thanjavur, Anjugam Boopathy (DMK) and M Rangaswamy (AIADMK) are among the candidates.

At Thirupparankundram, AIADMK has fielded AK Bose, while P Saravanan is the DMK nominee. Counting of votes will be held on November 22 and the entire election process will be completed before November 24, the Election Commission (EC) has announced.

In an unprecedented move, polls to the Aravakkurichi and Thanjavur seats were cancelled at the time of the State Assembly election by the EC, following allegations of distribution of money and gifts among the voters by political parties. The polls were first postponed from May 16 to May 23 and then to June 13. Finally, the poll notification was rescinded for the two constituencies and fresh elections were announced.

The by-election in Thirupparankundram in Madurai district was prompted by the death of SM Seenivel of the AIADMK.