The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced that the by-poll to Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency in Chennai would be held on June 27.
However, Opposition parties, including the DMK, seem reluctant to enter the fray as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will be the candidate of the ruling party and since there is very little time for preparation.
The seat fell vacant following the resignation of the sitting MLA P. Vetrivel to facilitate the election of Ms. Jayalalithaa, who has been acquitted by the Karnataka High Court from the disproportionate wealth case.
Asked whether the DMK would contest in the election, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin said party leader M. Karunanidhi would take a decision. Mr. Karunanidhi, a couple of days ago, said the party would announce its stand once the election is notified. The issue, however, did not figure at the district secretaries meeting held on Monday.
There is an expectation that the DMK’s Central Chennai district secretary P.K. Sekar Babu, a former AIADMK MLA and a hardcore loyalist of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa before falling from her favour, would be the candidate if the party decides to take the plunge. He won the seat in 2001 and 2006 as an AIADMK candidate, but lost in 2011 as a DMK contestant.
BJP taken abackThe BJP, meanwhile, is taken aback at the announcement of the by-election. The party had planned a public meeting in the constituency on May 28, but will have to cancel it now as the model code of conduct is in place. CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishan said his party had not decided on contesting the by-polls.
