The tussle within the ruling AIADMK to get the ticket for the bypoll to the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar (R.K. Nagar) Assembly constituency has become intense, with several prominent faces of the party expressing their desire to enter the fray.
Apart from former Minister and the party’s chairman of the presidium E. Madhusudanan — who was fielded by the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) during the rescinded bypoll — another former Minister Gokula Indira and former MP N. Balaganga have also sought allotment of the ticket.
Others who are keen on contesting are the secretary of the MGR Mandram A. Tamilmagan Hussain; former secretary of the South Chennai district unit Adhi Rajaram; and the party’s nominee in the constituency during the 1996 Assembly elections R.M.D. Raveendran.
The Parliamentary Board, which has been authorised to decide who should be awarded the ticket, was initially slated to meet on Wednesday, but sources said the meeting may be put off.
Mr. Madhusudanan said that he should be fielded as he was denied the ticket in 2011 due to ‘pressure’ from V.K. Sasikala. He added that his loyalty, experience and seniority should be considered.
Ms. Gokula Indira said she worked in R.K. Nagar during the 2015 floods. Mr. Balaganga is quite familiar with issues facing north Chennai.
While one Minister points out that the decision to call for applications is in itself a message to Mr. Madhusudanan that the present leadership will not accommodate him that easily, another seasoned legislator feels that there is nothing wrong in the party’s move which, he says, is a democratic way of choosing a nominee.
