Date:13/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/13/stories/2008121359740800.htm

Tamil Nadu

MDMK gives up Thirumangalam Assembly seat for AIADMK

B. Kolappan

Left parties announce support for AIADMK candidate

CHENNAI: The AIADMK will contest the by-election to the Thirumangalam Assembly constituency on January 9.

The MDMK, which won the seat in the 2006 elections, gave it up in favour of its alliance partner. The Left parties have announced their support to the AIADMK.

The vacancy was caused by the death of MDMK MLA Veera. Ilavarasan, who had defeated the DMK’s V. Velusamy by 4,144 votes. MDMK general secretary Vaiko said that his party “decided to support and work for the victory of the AIADMK candidate,” after its general secretary Jayalalithaa wrote to him seeking his “approval and support.” “In view of the present political circumstances it will be appropriate only for the AIADMK to contest the elections,” Ms. Jayalalithaa had stated in her letter. Mr. Vaiko met her at her Poes Garden residence on Thursday.

Mr. Vaiko said he discussed Ms. Jayalalithaa’s request with senior MDMK leaders and it was decided that the party would support the AIADMK in the by-poll. The decision was conveyed to Ms. Jayalalithaa who thanked Mr. Vaiko.

Mr. Vaiko alleged that the ruling DMK won the two previous by-elections held in the Assembly constituencies in Madurai city by “unleashing violence and spending crores of rupees.”

“Defeat stares at the alliance led by the ruling party as the government is facing the wrath of the people thanks to power cut, spiralling of prices of essential commodities, sand smuggling and violence. So, it is planning to win the by-election by using money and misusing the official machinery,” he said.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said she spoke to CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan and they had agreed to support the AIADMK. The candidate would be announced after the party’s parliamentary board meeting.

CPI (M) State secretary N. Varadarajan told The Hindu that his party would support the AIADMK candidate as it had entered into an electoral understanding with that party for the Lok Sabha polls.

Echoing his views, CPI state secretary D. Pandian said his party would extend full support to the AIADMK candidate. “We have already decided to defeat the DMK-Congress combine in the Lok Sabha polls,” he added.