Madhusudhanan may not get ticket for bypoll

Madhusudhanan is a well known face in the constituency, where he has been residing for the last five decades, one of the AIADMK (Amma) functionaries noted. However, he found it hard to tour the constituency when he contested the bypoll, announced for April 12, the functionary noted and added that the 76-year-old leader has also been a diabetic for several years. 

The veteran leader contested the 1989 Assembly elections as a candidate of the faction headed by the former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, polling around 25 per cent votes. He won from the same constituency in the 1991 Assembly elections, by securing about 60 per cent votes and was made a minister by Jayalalithaa. He was also retained by her as the Presidium Chairman. Finding a candidate equal to him in stature would be hard for the CM’s faction now.

Despite his popularity, the former minister was unable to canvas for votes in his constituency, while his opponent TTV Dinakaran was moving through every lane and street in the area. Dinakaran himself had announced on Sunday that he would contest the RK Nagar seat and the ruling faction is looking for a mercurial functionary to match the rival faction leader. The new nominee must also be acceptable to the supporters of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, besides O Panneerselvam.