DMK President and Leader of the Opposition MK Stalin will not be the party’s candidate in the upcoming bye-elections in Thiruvarur, said Poondi Kalaivanan, District Secretary of Thiruvarur. Sources in Stalin's office told TNM that he decided against contesting, despite senior leaders asking him to, as he does not want to force a bye-election in Kolathur, too.
The District Secretary of Thiruvarur for the party was talking to the reporters in Chennai when he told that people from Thiruvarur have been writing letters and making phone calls expressing their wish that MK Stalin competes in Thiruvarur, which was represented by his father and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi. “The leader (MK Stalin) told that there was no possibility of him competing in the upcoming bye-elections. Despite this, since we all wish that the leader compete, we have submitted a petition expressing our wish to the leader. Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Fan Club members have also come here to submit their petition in favour of Udhayanidhi competing in the polls,” he said.
He also said that the candidate selection for the bye-polls will be held on Friday and the candidate will be announced by MK Stalin. “The welfare schemes started by Kalaignar Karunanidhi and also the help extended by Stalin after Cyclone Gaja has made the people of Thiruvarur constituency happy. Because of this, the people are ready to vote for DMK,” he said.
DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi was elected to Thiruvarur assembly constituency seat in 2016 with a margin of more than 68,000 votes over AIADMK’s candidate R Panneerselvam. The seat fell vacant on August 7 after M Karunanidhi's death due to prolonged illness.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that the bye-election to the constituency will be held on January 28. The announcement was notified in the Gazette on Thursday and two independent candidates have filed their nomination papers in Thiruvarur. While the major parties are yet to announce their candidates for the polls, Naam Tamizhar party Chief Seeman announced recently that the party would stand alone in the upcoming bye-election.