RK Nagar bypoll results: Dhinakaran wins, bags over 72,000 votes

TTV Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll, crosses magic 72,000 votes

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 68392 votes at the end of counting round 14 

AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan: 36217 votes
DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh: 18924 
BJP's Karu Nagarajan: 1126 

Latest counting trends: 

TTV Dhinakaran: 64627 
AIADMK: 33446
DMK: 15918

Dhinakaran headed for big win, claims I am the real successor of Jayalalithaa 

TTV Dhinakaran pays floral tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at MGR memorial in Marina Beach #Chennai pic.twitter.com/mcMp9jiHoH

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

Latest counting trends:

1. TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 44,094
2. E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 19,525
3. N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 10,292
4. Others: 6,490

After eight rounds of counting, Dhinakaran recieves over 44,000 votes.

"I am an independent candidate for namesake but all Party (AIADMK) workers are with me. I also have Amma's wishes," says Dhinakaran.

Official EC trends after Round 6 of counting

TTV Dhinakaran: 29255 votes

AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan: 15181 votes

DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh: 7986 votes

Dhinakaran leads with massive 29255 votes

Dhinakaran reaches Chennai

Dhinakaran addresses media: 

I firmly believe that it is time for this government to go, and in the coming 3 months you will see this government go: TTV Dhinakaran in Madurai #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/v5uhgQ6T3J

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

Official EC trends (at the end of counting round 5):

• TTV Dhinakaran leads with 24132 total votes
• AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 13057 votes
• DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 6606 votes 

At the end of fourth round of counting at RK Nagar bypoll, Dhinakaran leads RK by-election results with 20,298 votes.
AIADMK's E Madhusudanan gets 9,672 votes while DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh gets 5032.

After four round of counting,

• Dhinakaran leading with 20,298 votes
• AIADMK's Madhusudhanan gets 9,672 votes
• DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 5,091 votes

"During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the pressure cooker (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," he said.

"We are the true AIADMK... People of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor," says Dhinakaran.

Trends:

TTV Dhinakaran: 15,868 votes

AIADMK's Madhusudhanan: 7,033 votes

DMK's Maruthu Ganesh: 3,750 votes

Once again, Dhinakaran establishes a massive lead in the third round of voting. 

The current EPS-OPS government will fall within 3 months, says Dhinakaran while addressing the media

As per official EC trends after two rounds of counting:

TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5082 votes

AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 1783 votes

DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 1142 votes 

Counting halted again as protesters create a ruckus. 

Election result trends

TTV Dinakaran (Independent):10,391 

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 4,520 

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 2,323 

K Nagarajan (BJP): 66

NOTA: 102

Dhinakaran supporters celebrate:

Chennai: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate, burst crackers outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/qNGVnNj0Wd

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

"After Amma, TTV Dhinakaran is the mass leader of Tamil Nadu," say supporters.

Second round of counting going on, 17 rounds of counting left

AIADMK supporters demand the media coverage be stopped immediately and journalists removed from counting centre. 

Counting has now resumed.

"Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on," says Chennai district Electoral Officer.

Counting halted for nearly 15 minutes after clash between AIADMK and Dhinakaran supporters

Paramilitary forces have been rushed in to control the situation

Second-round of counting halted due to clashes.

Dhinakaran supporters celebrate the early trends 

Chennai: TTV Dhinakaran supporters celebrate outside a counting center as early official EC trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/XfBkehnknB

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

Clashes erupt between AIADMK members and Dhinakaran supporters.

Election Officers attacked

Early Trends 

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 7,276
E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 2,737 
N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 1,181 
K Nagarajan (BJP): 66
NOTA: 102

Counting halted after war of words breaks out between the agents of Independent candidate TTV Dinakaran and AIADMK.

TTV Dhinakaran takes massive lead. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran at his Marina Beach memorial

#RKNagarByPoll Counting of votes underway ; Visuals from a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/00fT9mYX4Q

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

#Visuals from late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran memorial at Marina Beach in #Chennai on his 30th death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/bFFEK1pHTg

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

RK Nagar by-poll counting will be conducted in 19 rounds at Queen Mary’s College. One postal vote has also been received.

The counting of votes will take place at the Queen Mary’s College in Chennai 

Security arrangements have been beefed up in various parts of Chennai

#RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes begins; #Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/c1OSHQ03Tf

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

Counting of vote begins 

"Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way," said Karu Nagarajan, BJP candidate from RK Nagar, outside a vote counting centre in Chennai. 

#RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/ORKYAc9LF7

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

RK Nagar by-poll counting will begin at 8 am

The RK Nagar polls were scheduled to be held in April 2017 but later cancelled after complaints of large-scale voter bribing by a candidate.

The Dhinakaran camp is facing flak for releasing a video clip of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a hospital bed.

Over 59 candidates are in the fray. However, the by-poll is mainly seen as a fight between the ruling AIADMK, its rival faction led by Dhinakaran and DMK.