Tamil Nadu: TTV Dinakaran jumps into RK Nagar by-poll fray

Chennai: The battle lines were drawn for the high-stakes bypoll to the RK Nagar constituency in the state capital on Wednesday with the ruling AIADMK fielding its powerful deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran while the Opposition DMK preferred to field a local party functionary. The April 12 byelection was necessitated by J. Jayalalithaa’s demise.

In what is expected to be a political potboiler, the bypoll will see an intense four-cornered contest with late Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar announcing her candidature and former chief minister O. Panneerselvam’s camp also set to field a nominee.

With the AIADMK votes set to split three ways and all the three groups staking claim to late Jayalalithaa’s legacy in a constituency she represented twice, the DMK has fielded the ‘son of the soil’ Marudhu Ganesh.

Mr Ganesh, who practices at the George Town court while residing in RK Nagar, also doubles up as a party worker and journalist. The DMK fielded him since he is well versed with the problems faced by the people of the constituency and is said to be popular among the cadres.

The bypolls will test the popularity of the one-month old Edappadi K Palanisamy-led AIADMK Government since this is the first election the ruling party is set to face after Jayalalithaa’s demise on December 5, 2016.

“I will win by a margin of 50,000 votes. I will carry forward the development work initiated by late Amma,” Mr Dhinakaran told reporters after he was named as the party candidate.

Mr Dhinakaran himself jumping into the fray in Dr RK Nagar constituency has further raised the stakes since he is virtually the No. 1 in the AIADMK in the absence of its jailed General Secretary V.K. Sasikala.     

DMK springs a surprise, fields new face at RK Nagar
Throwing a surprise, the DMK on Wednesday nominated an unknown local functionary N. Marudhu Ganesh to fight the prestigious RK Nagar bypolls against AIADMK deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran.

DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan, in a statement here, announced that the lawyer, belonging to Korukkupet in the constituency will contest the bypoll with the support of alliance parties. Marudhu Ganesh, an area secretary, is a lawyer by profession, but hails from a middle class background.

He is one among the 17 candidates including Shimla Muthuchozhan and R.Girirajan. Shimla Muthuchozhan contested against former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in the 2016 Assembly elections and the party’s legal wing secretary R.Girirajan was fielded in North Chennai in the 2014 Parliament elections. Marudhu Ganesh was chosen since the party leadership wanted a local face who has earned the goodwill of people.

Officials gear up for RK Nagar polls
A day before the commencement of nominations to R K Nagar, Chennai district election officer and corporation commissioner D. Karthikeyan conducted a high level meeting with poll officials at Ripon Buildings on Wednesday.

DEO discussed about the videography that has to be taken at the time of candidates submitting their nominations.

The position of static and surveillance teams to monitor cash and vehicle movements were also discussed.

Corporation officials assigned for R K Nagar by poll duty who are taking stock of voting machines and logistics required for April 12 polls also briefed about the arrangements in place at strong rooms and counting station.

Chennai collector V Anbuchelvan, who is also the additional district election officer and election returning officer for R K Nagar Padmaja Devi also attended the meeting that discussed about the poll code of conduct.

The officials also discussed about the defacing of walls, removing political hoardings and recording poll violations. Karthikeyan also enquired about the grievance addressal system in place to register the poll related complaints registered at the poll helpline. Corporation officials also said another round of meeting is scheduled by next week with the revenue and police officials assigned for R K Nagar by poll duty.