Thanjavur: The DMK candidate S.S.Palanimanickam, former union minister and who contested from Thanjavur Lok Sabha for the ninth time, is leading in the constituency by a margin of 3,49,203 votes at the end of 20th round of counting of votes at 7 pm on Thursday and is all set to wrest the seat from the AIADMK this time.
While Palanimanickam polled 5,61,851 votes at the end of 20th round, his nearest rival N.R.Natarajan of Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), an ally of AIADMK and BJP polled 2,12,648 votes at the end of 20th round. N. Krishnamumar of Naam Thamizhar Katchi polled 55,085 votes at the end of the 20th round while Sampath Ramadoss of Makkal Needhi Maiam polled 22,537 votes.
Two more rounds were to be counted. But before that VVPAT counting has been taken up for each assembly constituency. Results are expected late night.
Palanimanickam is all set to win the seat for the sixth time in the 2019 LS polls.
Palanimanickam maintained his lead from round one by polling good number of votes in all the six assembly constituencies which come in the Lok Sabha constituency.
The lead was maintained in all the assembly constituencies ie Thanjavur, Thiruvaiyaru, Orathanadu, Mannargudi, Pattukottai and Peravurani till the 20th round.
Margin is expected to be the highest this time for Palanimanickam compared to his previous victories in 1996,1998,1999,2004 and 2009. In 2014 he was not given the seat by the party. The AIADMK candidate K. Parasuraman had won in that election.
