Kalaivanan is DMK pick, AMMK names Kamaraj

A possible triangular contest involving the ruling AIADMK is in the offing with the DMK and AMMK announcing their candidates for the January 28 Tiruvarur bypoll.

However, the AIADMK is yet to announce their candidate. In a statement, DMK President MK Stalin announced the candidature of Poondi K Kalaivanan and said his nominee had the support of the party’s allies, including the Congress. Kalaivanan is the DMK’s Tiruvarur district secretary. Similarly, the TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) announced fielding S Kamaraj as its candidate. Kamarajis AMMK’s Tiruvarurdistrict secretary.

The election will be seen as a possible indicator of voters’ mood ahead of this year’s LS polls, the first in the absence of the two Dravidian stalwarts, former CMs J Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi

Meanwhile, both AIADMK and DMK were handed down an upset defeat by Dhinakaran, who won the December 2017 RK Nagar bypoll as an Independent with an impressive margin. Dhinakaran had earlier exuded confidence his AMMK would win in Tiruvarur too.