With bye-polls to the Nanguneri and Vikravandi Assembly constituencies taking place in a few days’ time, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Opposition Leader and DMK chief MK Stalin have been engaged in an intense war of words. During the last stretch of campaigning, which ends Saturday evening, Stalin called Edappadi Palaniswami an accidental Chief Minister to which the CM responded saying he was chosen by the people. Polling in both constituencies are set to take place on October 21, Monday.
“It is our misfortune that we have got an accidental Chief Minister. He says he has been chosen by the people. Is he chosen by people? He has come to be Chief Minister because (former Chief Minister) Jayalalithaa passed away,” said Stalin. He also pointed out that the internal feud within the party and now Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam falling out of favour had also aided his cause.
In response, the Chief Minister asked during a campaign in Vikravandi, “How can I come by accident? I became Chief Minister because 122 MLAs have endorsed me. The 122 MLAs have been chosen by people like you, they are the people's representatives. For a government to be formed, a majority of 118 (MLAs) is required. I have the endorsement of 122 (MLAs) and I became Chief Minister.”
Following the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, the AIADMK survived the challenge to its government winning 9 seats in the bye-polls while the DMK won 13 seats. While the AIADMK's tally is up to 123 MLAs, the DMK and its allies have 108 seats in the Assembly. AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran is the sole independent MLA in the House.
The bye-poll to the Nanguneri seat in Tirunelveli district was necessitated by H Vasanthakumar of the Congress resigning earlier this year. He was elected MP from the Kanyakumari constituency in the Lok Sabha polls. The Vikravandi seat in Villupuram district fell vacant following the death of DMK MLA K Rathamani in June this year. After three years, the Tamil Nadu Assembly will return to full strength following the latest bye-polls.