Speculations rife as Kanimozhi missing in action at RK Nagar

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi has stayed away from the all-important by-election even as the who’s who of Tamil Nadu politics has descended up on RK Nagar. A regular in DMK election campaigns in the last decade, Kanimozhi has kept off the constituency this time, ostensibly, due to impending CBI special court verdict in 2G case on December 21, the same day voters of RK Nagar exercise their franchise.

Sources in Anna Arivalayam told DT Next that the high command has not sent any word to the MP on the campaigning for RK Nagar by-election thus far. “Usually, the high command would instruct star campaigners before they hit the campaign trail. The campaigners would plan their tour based on the schedule of leaders at the helm. No word has been sent to the MP this time,” revealed a DMK senior in the know of things requesting anonymity.

A source close to the DMK leadership who confirmed the same, said the high command has not asked the MP to hit the campaign trail so far. Asked if it were due to the impending 2G verdict, the reticent source added, “We do not know the reason. Perhaps, they were content with her staying away from RK Nagar this time.” Pertinently, poll bound RK Nagar has a significant Nadar population, the community among whom Kanimozhi wields some influence. A DMK senior close to Stalin was not averse to admitting that it might be wise to not remind people about 2G, more so when the polling day coincides with spectrum case verdict and when the party would be talking about AIADMK scams, something Stalin has not done thus far. That the party was not all that keen on the MP campaigning could be easily comprehended from DMK deputing most its district secretaries and senior leaders to RK Nagar, while cautious about keeping the one’s mired in the 2G controversy off the constituency