The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) will contest the Pudukottai by-election, party leader Vijayakant said on Friday.
“We have decided to contest in the by-poll. But I need some time to finalise the party candidate as several persons have applied,” he told The Hindu .
Mr. Vijayakant said his party would have supported the CPI candidate if the party, which had won the seat in the 2011 Assembly elections, had entered the fray.
The actor-turned-politician said his party took the plunge in the Sankarankoil Assembly by-election because Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had challenged him to face the election in the constituency.
“I am not afraid of a challenge. It was the AIADMK that boycotted by-polls to five Assembly constituencies in 2009. You should also keep in mind that the AIADMK could not retain its deposit in the Pennagaram by-election.”
He argued that in all by-elections, his party had managed to retain its vote share.
