CPI decides to throw its hat in electoral ring

Chennai: The Communist Party of India is all set to field its candidate against AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in the June 27 R.K. Nagar Assembly bypoll. There is strong speculation in political circles that the CPI may field its senior leader and freedom fighter R. Nallakannu. CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan announced that the party’s decision to contest the byelection after his meeting with CPI (M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan at the party headquarters.

“It was decided unanimously at a meeting held today with CPI (M) leaders that our party will field a candidate and Marxists will extend full support to our nominee,” he said. When asked whether 90-year-old Nallakannu will be fielded against the AIADMK chief, he said the party was yet to take a decision on the candidate. “We have only decided to contest the polls. Only now we are going to start the candidate selection process. We will announce the candidate in a day or two,” Mr Mutharasan told DC.

Following the drubbing faced by the CPI (M) candidate in Srirangam bypoll, there is a strong view in Left party circles that a strong candidate like Nallakannu, who enjoys an excellent reputation across the political spectrum for his simplicity and unblemished political life, spanning several decades, should be fielded against Jayalalithaa. The freedom fighter will also be able to get support from other political parties, the source said.

A senior CPI leader said the party’s central high command has asked to field a senior candidate against the AIADMK leader.“We cannot rule out the possibility of fielding comrade Nallakannu,” the leader said, adding that there are other contenders including party deputy secretary M. Veerapandian and north Chennai district secretary Murthy.

The party’s secretariat committee meets on June 5 to decide on the candidate, the leader said.Asked if his party and the CPI (M) would seek the support of other political parties for its candidate, Mutharasan said, “We are yet to discuss it. We will never seek the support of the BJP or Congress. Other parties, we are yet to decide.”