Jayalalithaa constitutes 50-member team

Chennai: AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Sunday announced the formation of a 50-member team, including all 28 of her ministers, as election in-charge for the June 27 bypoll to the Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency. In a statement here, Ms Jayalalithaa called upon her party functionaries to cooperate with the team members and perform the poll-related duties to the best of their ability.

The Chief Minister is contesting from this constituency to return as a legislator. Her party’s presidium chairman E. Madhusudhanan and treasurer and finance minister O. Panneerselvam are among the 50-member team announced by Ms Jayalalithaa.

AIADMK MLA P. Vetrivel, who had on May 17 resigned as MLA from the constituency, and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai, also find a place in the team of poll managers. Mr Vetrivel had resigned to facilitate the AIADMK supremo — who was acquitted of all charges by the Karnataka high court on May 11 — to contest from the constituency after becoming Chief Minister of the state for the fifth time.

She was sworn in on May 23 and has to be elected as MLA within six months. The Opposition DMK and PMK have already announced their decision to boycott the election, while the Left parties and NDA are yet to take a call.