As the campaign for the by-poll to Nellithope segment of the Legislative Assembly enters the final phase, both contenders — the Congress and AIADMK — have decided to step up campaign in the coming days by roping in leaders from outside the State.
Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu and treasurer of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M.K. Stalin will take a whirlwind tour of Nellithope constituency on November 13 to seek votes for Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy. Similarly, chief of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee Su. Thirunavukkarasar will campaign for the Chief Minister on November 11.
Sources in the Pradesh Congress Committee told The Hindu that the national spokesperson of Congress Kushboo and several other TNCC leaders have agreed to campaign for the Chief Minister. The Congress person in-charge for the Union Territory Mukul Wasnik will also participate in the campaign trail in the course of next week, the source said.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalan is also likely to campaign for the Chief Minister, the source added.
The AIADMK had also decided to intensify the campaign by bringing in senior leaders and Ministers from Tamil Nadu. Already, Tamil Nadu Ministers M.C Sampath and C. Ve Shanmugham and party legislator S. Semmalai have made several visits to the constituency.
Both candidates have questioned the necessity for bringing outside leaders for campaign in a by-poll. AIADMK candidate Om Sakthi Sekar told reporters that the Congress out of desperation was trying to bring alliance party leaders and national leaders for campaign.
Meanwhile, the Congress accused the AIADMK of trying to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in Nellithope by bringing in a large number of party workers from the neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu.
Senior leaders of major parties from neighbouring Tamil Nadu will join campaign trail
