Chennai, Sep 9 (IANS) The DMK on Wednesday became the first major party to announce candidates for the October 6 bye-elections to the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, setting the stage for the first electoral test of Tamil Nadu’s three-month-old TVK government.
DMK President M.K. Stalin named party spokesperson and legal wing joint secretary I. Paranthamen for Madurantakam, while political newcomer S. Suganya will contest from Dharapuram.
The ruling TVK and the AIADMK have not yet announced their nominees.
Paranthamen represented Egmore in the Assembly between 2021 and 2026 but was denied a ticket in this year’s State election.
Following the DMK’s heavy defeat, he publicly criticised senior party leader P.K. Sekarbabu and called upon the leadership to initiate corrective measures.
Despite that intervention, Paranthamen has remained a firm party loyalist, and his selection is being viewed as recognition of his continued organisational commitment.
Stalin said both candidates were being fielded with the support of the Secular Progressive Alliance.
The coalition, however, has shrunk considerably after major partners including the Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK and IUML moved away from the DMK and extended support to the TVK headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
The vacancies arose after AIADMK legislators K. Maragatham Kumaravel of Madurantakam and P. Sathyabama of Dharapuram resigned their seats and joined the TVK.
Both former legislators are widely expected to be fielded by the ruling party, although an official announcement is awaited.
Polling will be held on October 6 and votes will be counted on October 9. The nomination process opened on September 9 and will continue until September 16.
The Model Code of Conduct has already taken effect in Madurantakam, which has 2,11,295 electors — 1,03,943 men, 1,07,288 women and 64 third-gender voters.
Madurantakam and Dharapuram are among seven Assembly constituencies currently vacant in Tamil Nadu.
The Election Commission has not announced bypolls for Tiruchy East, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, Perundurai and Karur because election petitions involving the returned candidates remain pending.
The restraint on conducting elections in those five constituencies was extended until September 8.
With the DMK moving early, attention has now shifted to the TVK and AIADMK as they finalise their candidates for a contest carrying significance beyond the two constituencies.
The outcome is also expected to indicate whether the Opposition has regained ground after its recent Assembly election setback.
–IANS
aal/rad