TN Rajya Sabha polls: DMDK seeks Cong. support

June 18, 2013 04:23 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 10:10 pm IST - Chennai

In this June 17, 2013 photo, Desiya Murupokku Dravida Kazhagam candidate A.R. Elangovan files his nomination for the Rajya Sabha election at the Secretariat. Photo: R. Ragu

In this June 17, 2013 photo, Desiya Murupokku Dravida Kazhagam candidate A.R. Elangovan files his nomination for the Rajya Sabha election at the Secretariat. Photo: R. Ragu

A day after DMDK, the main opposition party, entered the fray for the June 27 biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, the party approached the Congress seeking support for its candidate.

“Five DMDK MLAs met me and gave me a letter, which requested Congress support for their candidate in the RS polls. I have forwarded the letter to Delhi... party high command will take a decision on it,” Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B.S. Gnanadesikan told PTI .

The DMDK, headed by actor-turned-politician Vijayakant, has fielded party treasurer A.R. Elangovan as its candidate and biennial elections for six Rajya Sabha seats from the State seems headed for a contest.

The ruling AIADMK is already assured of four seats with its strength of 151 members in the 234-member State Assembly.

With Chief Minister Jayalalithaa agreeing to withdraw the candidature of her party’s K. Thangamuthu, who was nominated for the fifth seat, in favour of the CPI’s D. Raja, he is expected to gain the required 34 votes for victory.

The DMDK and the DMK are now set to fight for the sixth seat in the polls with the latter having renominated Kanimozhi, party chief M. Karunanidhi’s daughter.

Though the DMDK has 29 members in the 234-seat Assembly, seven of them are considered dissidents.

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