Pollachi (Tamil Nadu), May 23 (IANS): The voters of Pollachi in Tamil Nadu seems to have voiced their anger against the sexual assault and extortion of women by an organised gang through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) by voting in favour of DMK in the Lok Sabha elections.

The DMK candidate K. Shanmuga Sundaram has built a massive lead over his AIADMK rival and sitting MP C. Mahendran. As per the Election Commission data till 6.40 p.m., Sundaram had polled 5,49,383 votes as against Mahendran's tally of 3,76,279 votes.

This picturesque town in Coimbatore district had hit national headlines in March when the "Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail" incident blew up.

"There is simmering anger in the hearts of the people owing to the sordid episode that marred the town's name. The Pollachi issue will surely have an impact on the voting pattern," Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) candidate R. Mookambika had told IANS prior to the polls.

"Even the elderly village women ask me whether I would be able to do something with regard to the sexual abuse issue. I can sense it is there in the hearts of the people of this town," she had said.

In 2014, AIADMK's Mahendran had won the seat after polling about 4.17 lakh votes. His margin of victory over his nearest rival from the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) was about 1.40 lakh votes. The DMK had come third.