DMK for joint campaign, but CPM reluctant

While parties like the Congress, CPI, CPM, MDMK and the VCK prefer to campaign individually to garner support for DMK candidate Marudhu Ganesh in the R K Nagar bypoll, the move to bring every party on the same stage to show their unity in order to woo more voters was very much evident. However, the CPM, which also announced support to the DMK, has said that it will conduct separate election campaigns to gather support for the DMK candidate.

According to DMK sources, the party is keen to conduct ‘high octane’ election campaigns in the RK Nagar constituency to register a historic victory. The DMK top functionaries have decided to unite the parties, which have announced their support for DMK to start their campaigns. So, the party has planned to launch a public meeting in a big way in the next couple of days.

R Mutharasan, state secretary of CPI, said that the party, in the beginning, will join the public meeting, in which other parties will participate. “Later, we will conduct election campaigns at various places in support of DMK candidate separately.” Similarly, VCK has announced that its party chief Thirumavalavan will participate in it.

However, CPM has taken a decision not to participate in the public meeting. “We will conduct election campaigns separately and gather votes for the DMK,” said G Ramakrishnan, state secretary of CPM. When contacted, DMK organising secretary, RS Bharathi exuded confidence that the DMK will win in the bypoll with a huge margin. “Our leader MK Stalin will announce the party’s agenda and accordingly campaigns will be held in the constituency.” When asked, whether the party will seek support from the PMK, Bharathi replied, “We will welcome any party.