Did a BJP candidate really end up with a ‘single vote’ in Tamil Nadu rural poll?

Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai appreciated the effort and initiative of a BJP functionary, who contested the Rural Local body polls in the state as an independent candidate and managed to secure “a single vote”. Addressing the media, Annamalai reemphasized that the said candidate(though a BJP member and functionary) contested as an independent candidate and asked for votes using his own name. He also added that the candidate could (in the future) contest on the BJP’s Lotus symbol, provided he continues his hard work and service to the people.

D. Karthik, a functionary of the BJP, who secured a “single vote” in the rural local body polls was being trolled on social media since Tuesday afternoon. While much of the trolling had originated from the ruling DMK, their functionaries and affiliated media, the issue of a BJP candidate having secured only a single vote became viral. There were also hashtags in English and Tamil that referred to the BJP as a “Single vote party”, which were among the all-India Twitter trends.

Adding fuel to this fire, it was also being circulated on social media that Karthik, a BJP Candidate had not even received the votes of his five family members. This was being used to target the BJP, which had won four out of 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, earlier this year. However, on being contacted, Karthik told Zee Media that this information was “completely false and baseless”.

“Of course, our family had five votes, but I contested in the 9th ward, whereas we live in the 4th ward and all our votes are in the 4th ward. While I am holding a BJP youth wing position, it’s totally false that I was a BJP candidate. I contested as an independent candidate using the ‘Car’ Symbol. Our ally AIADMK had fielded their candidate in the 9th ward, so I couldn’t contest on behalf of BJP, hence I wanted to contest as an independent. I neither used the BJP flag nor symbol and campaigned with a handful of friends, in a ward that I was totally new to” he clarified to Zee Media.

When asked regarding all candidates contesting on new, unfamiliar symbols(not those of their party’s) and how he got only one vote, Karthik replied how he was totally unknown to the people of the ward and vice versa. He also added that he campaigned for barely a few hours, owing to his mother having suffered an accident during that time and the subsequent hospitalization that was required.

“Ever candidate used their respective party flag and wore shawls bearing the party symbols, but I didn’t do so. I had printed about 1000 pamphlets for distribution during campaigning, more than 900 of them remain at my home, as I had to take care of my mother during that time and skipped campaigning” he says.

Regarding this issue, Annamalai added that the party did not bother about the fake news that was spread against the party and its worker. “He’s a young man and contested for a small ward member post. As a party, we prefer that our members contest in polls and serve the people. We will encourage him and one day he could contest using the BJP symbol and win” he added.

Karthik also said that his party State President Annamalai and Youth wing President Vinoj P Selvam had personally reached out and urged him not to lose heart. “I took their words in a positive manner and will work thrice as hard”, he added.

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