CHENNAI: The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress in Tamil Nadu quickly reached an accord in fighting the ensuing October 21 byelections for two Assembly constituencies from Nanguneri and Vikravandi, hours after the Election Commission announced the schedule on Saturday, shoring up their electoral alliance which was under some strain in recent weeks.
The DMK agreed to let Congress re-contest the Nanguneri seat though the Dravidian party was also eyeing it this time after its huge victory in the Lok Sabha elections. The Vikravandi seat, already held by DMK, will be re-contested by it.
The reaffirmation of the DMK-Congress poll pact came after a meeting the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K.S. Azhagiri had with the DMK president M.K. Stalin at the latter’s headquarters. Senior Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, also accompanied Azhagiri for the meeting.
After the meeting, Mr Stalin told reporters that at the meeting of both the party leaders, it was decided that DMK will again contest Vikravandi seat, while Congress would be in the fray again for the Nanguneri seat, which was earlier won by the national party. The Kamaraj Nagar seat in Puducherry has also been allotted to the Congress, Mr. Stalin said.
Leaders of both the parties said that their respective candidates would be announced soon. Asked what would be the issues for the Assembly by-elections, Mr Stalin said, “people will give a fitting reply to the ruling party AIADMK”.
Meanwhile, the DMK general council meeting scheduled for October 6 has been postponed due to the Assembly by-polls. Fresh date for it will be announced later. Party aspirants for DMK ticket could submit their forms on Monday, Stalin said, adding, interviews will be held on September 24 after which the candidate will be announced.
