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Political realignment on cards in TN ahead of bypoll

DMK, the principal opposition party in the state assembly, seems to gain in the political realignment with the fragmented opposition parties coming together while the ruling AIADMK is fighting internal differences.

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Chief Minister E Palaniswami
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With the ruling AIADMK getting backs its election symbol and its growing proximity with the BJP, Tamil Nadu is witnessing a political realignment ahead of the December 21 bye-election to the crucial RK Nagar Assembly Constituency represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

DMK, the principal opposition party in the state assembly, seems to gain in the political realignment with the fragmented opposition parties coming together while the ruling AIADMK is fighting internal differences.

A day after the Election Commission announced the dates for the RK Nagar bypoll, the DMK has promptly named journalist turned politician N Marudhu Ganesh who was its candidate in the cancelled April 12 bypoll. DMK allies Congress, IUML and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi have already extended their support.

DMK working president MK Stalin also wrote to CPM, CPI and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a Dalit party seeking their support. Left parties, VCK and Vaiko's MDMK floated People's Welfare Alliance and contested in alliance with actor turned politician Vijayakanth's DMDK and GK Vasan's Tamil Maanila Congress in the 2016 TN Assembly polls to lose in all the constituencies.

VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan readily extended his party support to the DMK on Saturday itself while the CPI declared its support on Monday. "DMK has written to us seeking their support. We decided to support the DMK candidate in order to prevent the victory of the communal forces and those supporting it," CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said after the party's state executive committee meeting. Thirumavalavan said that his party extended support to the DMK to avoid the split of the secular votes. CPM would take a call on the DMK's request for the support on November 30 when its state committee meets. Interestingly, when the CPM contested the cancelled bypoll to the RK Nagar, both the CPI and VCK decided to boycott the election.

AIADMK is yet to name its candidate for the crucial bypoll which would test its popularity. Sources said that with the differences emerging between Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam camps, there seems to be opposition towards candidature of party presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan who is an OPS loyalist. Madhusudhanan who is a senior most leader in the party also a former MLA representing the RK Nagar seat. AIADMK has invited application from those interested to contest the polls and the final decision on the candidate would be announced on November 29, sources said. Both the EPS and OPS held a separate meeting with their supporters at their residences on Monday evening amid the reports strong differences.

BJP is yet to decide on the bypoll. The saffron party had contested the cancelled bypoll on its own.

CM vs DY CM

  • Ruling AIADMK is yet to name its candidate for the crucial bypoll which would test its popularity.
  • Reports attribute the delay to differences between CM and DyCM.
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