BJP candidate Karu Nagarajan, actor Vishal and J. Deepa, niece of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, on Monday filed their nomination papers to contest in the R.K. Nagar byelection scheduled for December 21.
BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan, who accompanied Mr. Nagarajan, said that the results of the election would bear testimony to the BJP’s growing political clout in the State. She said that the BJP would prevail despite the presence of many Independents in the fray.
Mr. Vishal arrived at the Chennai Corporation Zonal office in Tondiarpet on a bike, riding pillion.
He said there would have been no need for him to contest if everything had worked the way it was supposed to in the constituency. “The people of R.K. Nagar are asking for basic facilities. During the floods, I saw how bad the facilities were here. And because the bypoll was around the corner, I wanted to contest it,” said Mr. Vishal.
Underlining the fact that he just wants to be their representative and not a politician, Mr. Vishal said, “This bypoll comes at the right time. It shouldn’t be the case that the people vote for a candidate and then wait for 5 years to vote someone out of power. People must question those in power.”
He said he was not thinking beyond the R.K. Nagar bypoll at the moment.
“I am fully focussed on this election and have not thought about the future. I do not know whether I will start a party or join another party in future. I am only concentrating on this election,” he said.
“If someone can become a representative of the people, he or she can do good things for the people. All that one needs is to listen to their problems — all their problems can be easily solved and I will strive to solve it,” he said.
Underscoring how youngsters have taken control and are steering the Nadigar Sangam and film producers’ council, he said, “We fixed the Nadigar Sangam and TFPC. I am not doing this to launch my political career. I have no agenda.”
He welcomed leaders across the political spectrum speaking in support of his latest move.
‘Vote for my aunt’
Jayalalithaa’s niece, J. Deepa, who filed her nomination, hoped that the people of R.K. Nagar would vote for ‘her aunt’.
“Tomorrow is my aunt’s first anniversary. My victory should be her victory,” she said.
She said that the people of R.K. Nagar must vote to ensure democracy. “The Election Commission’s actions
must be taken into account – they gave the symbol to the ruling party and then announced the elections the next day. I only appeal to the people of R.K. Nagar to vote for the truth,” she said.
Monday was the last date for filing nominations for the byelections. A total of 145 candidates have filed nominations so far, according to officials.
The high profile candidates include E. Madhusudanan of the AIADMK, Marudhu Ganesh of the DMK and T.T.V. Dhinakaran, the sidelined AIADMK leader contesting as an independent.
The process of scrutiny and rejection of candidates will now begin, they added.
(With inputs from Aloysius Xavier Lopez and Deepu Sebastian Edmond)
