The Hindu : Front Page : DMK names candidate for bypoll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

DMK names candidate for bypoll

Special Correspondent

It has sought PMK’s support; Azhagiri to head election campaign committee

A. Latha Athiyaman

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Tuesday named A.Latha Athiyaman, a party general council member and wife of the party’s former MLA, Athiyaman, to contest the Tirumangalam seat in Madurai district in the January 9 byelection.

This was decided at the 18-member High Level Policy Implementation Committee of the party here, chaired by Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi.

The committee also decided to constitute an election campaign committee chaired by the Chief Minister’s son M.K. Azhagiri, Mr.Karunanidhi told presspersons later.

Mr. Azhagiri had been in the forefront of two byelections in the recent past in Madurai and the ruling alliance had won both the seats. At that time, he was not named by the party to head the campaign. Mr. Azhagiri had earlier led the unsuccessful campaign in Andipatti when the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was in power. Answering a question, Mr. Karunanidhi said that he had requested the Pattali Makkal Katchi for support in the byelection. On the party’s chances of winning the poll without the support of the Left parties, he said that one will have to wait for the poll results to find the answer. Asked if the elections would be an indicator of what lay in store for the Lok Sabha elections, he said that the press could interpret it any which way it suited it.

On DMDK leader Vijayakant’s assertion that the byelection would signal a turning point in the State politics, he said that each party leader was free to speak confidently about his party. He did not want to interfere in this.

On his complaint about the conduct of the elections, Mr. Karunanidhi said that he had only protested against the Election Commission not discussing the dates with the State government before finalising them.

The State had the mammoth task of relief and rehabilitation following cyclone Nisha. In these circumstances, the Election Commission did not ask the State government if elections could be held now. “We did not have an opportunity to express our opinion,” he said.

Asked if the DMK was reluctant to face a bypoll, he merely smiled. “This is my reply,” he said. Mr. Karunanidhi said he would campaign in Tirumangalam if asked by the campaign committee chairman.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page