Coimbatore: 140 candidates who had filed
nominations as Independents from Tirupur North Assembly
constituency on Sunday decided to withdraw from the poll fray
after candidates from major parties assured them of resolving
their concerns regarding the closed units in the hosiery hub.
The decision follows a meeting of all the contesting
candidates, organised by the Tirupur Industrial Protection
Committee, to which candidates of major political parties were
also invited, Committee sources said.
At the meeting, the candidates of DMK, AIADMK,
Congress, CPI-M and BJP assured of permanent measures to solve
the crisis, which was precipitated by a High Court directive
ordering the closure of more than 700 dyeing and bleaching
units due to discharge of effluents into the Noyyal river.
Following the decision to withdraw the candidates, the
Election Commission would heave a sigh of relief, as it had
been planning to revert to ballot papers, because EVMs can
accommodate only up to 64 candidates.
PTI
