CHENNAI: Battle lines have been drawn for the first bypolls after the TVK-led government came to power in May, after the ruling TVK and the opposition AIADMK announced their candidates for the October 6 bypolls to Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC) Assembly constituencies, on Thursday.
This sets the stage for a pitched electoral contest over two seats that the AIADMK won just months ago, as the bout is not only to win the seats but also to know who comes second.
As expected, the TVK named former MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama as its candidates for Madurantakam and Dharapuram, respectively. Both had won the constituencies on AIADMK tickets in the April Assembly elections before resigning as MLAs on May 25 and joining the TVK. Their resignations subsequently rendered the seats vacant.
Announcing their names, TVK president and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay said the nominees would contest under the banner of the newly formed Secular Social Justice Victory Front, which includes the Congress, VCK, IUML, and the MDMK.
Kanitha had earlier won from Tiruporur in 2001 by a margin of 24,600 votes, and from Madurantakam in 2011 by a margin of 18,900 votes. In 2021, she contested from Cheyyur but lost by a margin of 3,000 votes. Bhanumathi is the joint secretary of Tirupur suburban east district.
The DMK has already named I Paranthamen, a former MLA and joint secretary of its legal wing, for Madurantakam, and advocate S Suganya for Dharapuram.
The AIADMK is seeking to reclaim the two constituencies, while the TVK is attempting to retain seats represented by its newly inducted leaders. The DMK, meanwhile, is also keen to perform well to shore up its standing.