Those in their 60s and 70s would not have forgotten the famous Dindigul by-election in 1973 which catapulted the then newly floated outfit by MGR, Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, on the national scene. The ADMK candidate Mayathevar trounced N.S.V. Chitthan of Congress (O), who finished second and Pon Muthuramalingam of DMK, who finished a poor third.
Cut back to 2014, Mr. Mayathevar has retired from politics. But both the old warhorses, Mr. Chitthan and Mr. Muthuramalingam, who lost the by-poll are still active. Mr. Chitthan is the Congress candidate again in for the Dindigul seat, while Mr. Muthuramalingam is fighting from Theni on DMK ticket.
