A day after the polling for the State Assembly elections that kept political parties on their toes for more than a month, an eerie lull descended the political arena with many leaders taking an informal sabbatical till May 4 when the sealed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be opened for counting the ballots after removing them to counting centres from the strong rooms in 62 places across the State.
Key political parties witnessed a low-key stock-taking by their leaders on Friday with Chief Minister M K Stalin holding a meeting with his party candidates in the northern districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam president Vijay who said that the 85 percent voter turnout on Thursday was a historic event.
Ordinary people shattered and crushed ‘the illusory calculations of those who confined and controlled politics within such specific boundaries,’ Vijay said in a message on X, adding that the meaning of calling it a democratic festival was felt only on Friday.
At the ground level, campaign offices were either closed or deserted and party activists of all hues retreated from the electoral field and directed their energies on guarding the safe rooms where the EVMs and VVPAT machines were being kept and closely guarded with CCTV cameras fixed at vantage points in the 63 premises and 18,000 security personnel forming three layers.
The first ring of security comprises armed personnel from the para military forces, while the second ring comprises special police personnel and the outward ring is made of the State Police. Apart from official security provided to the strong rooms, party volunteers, too, take turns to guard the premises round the clock.
All top parties have assigned their members for the crucial jobs that include ensuring that the security personnel were alert and watchful, the CCTV cameras were working without any hitch, no intruders enter into the premises and that there was no scope of tampering with the EVMs and VVPAT machines locked up inside the strong rooms.
Stalin, who undertook a hectic campaign throughout the hustings visiting almost all the 234 constituencies, is planning a sojourn with family in the salubrious climes of Kodaikanal, while deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin who was a whirlwind tour across the State is planning to leave for Dubai.
Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami has retreated to his home environs in Salem district and is expected to travel to Chennai to hold discussions with party functionaries, while Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam president Vijay has not made his plans public.