Left may dare to enter bypoll fray

Chennai: With DMK, the main opposition party in the state, opting out of the Radhakrishna Nagar Assembly byelection, the Left parties are likely to enter the fray against AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the June 27 bypoll. Left sources said that either CPI (M) or CPI would contest the bypoll as boycotting the election citing distribution of money and other malpractices is unacceptable.

“There is a need to mobilise the masses. It can be done only by fighting the elections politically,” sources said.  While CPI’s state executive committee meets on Monday to take a decision on the bypoll, the CPI (M) has convened its state committee to meet on June 3.

On Saturday, CPl (M) central committee member and MLA K. Balakrishnan and state secretariat member N. Gunasekaran called on DMDK chief Vijayakanth seeking his party’s support. Marxist party sources said that Vijayakanth has so far been non-committal about revealing his party’s stand on bypoll.

The DMDK has convened its district secretary meeting on Monday to take a call on the RK Nagar bypoll. CPI (M) had extended support to DMDK in Pudukottai and Sankarankoil bypoll and has been maintaining a cordial relationship with the Vijayakanth-led party.

A senior DMDK leader said that CPI (M) leaders discussed the R.K. Nagar bypoll with ‘Captain’. “Any decision on contesting the bypoll or boycotting will be taken in the district secretary meeting. There is a strong view in the party that they should boycott this election and focus on preparing the party for the coming state assembly polls,” the leader said.

Opposition DMK, PMK and VCK have already announced their decision to boycott the election, while the BJP is yet to take a call. Social activist Traffic Ramasamy has been meeting leaders of opposition parties seeking their support for him to be declared as a common candidate. DMK chief M. Karunanidhi indicated that his party might extend support to the activist.