Thambidurai unsure of getting ticket for Karur seat

Talking to reporters at Seethapatti Colony near Aravakurichi, the sitting MP from Karur, expressed uncertainty over contesting from the Karur seat as a few bigwigs from the party, including Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar’s father, have sought party ticket for the same constituency.

“Anyone can wish to contest in polls on a AIADMK ticket and the leaders will also extend unconditional support to whoever is chosen as party candidate for the constituency. Even if Vijaya Baskar’s father Chinnathambi is named by the party as its nominee for Karur seat, I myself will work for him”, said Thambidurai.

Since Thambidurai has been making scathing attacks against the Modi-led NDA government at the Centre on various fronts concerning Tamil Nadu, a few leaders from AIADMK were disappointed with the Deputy Speaker over his reaction on issues. In fact, many party insiders felt that the combative attitude of Thambidurai would affect the smooth relationship between the state government and the Centre. 

When asked about the prospects or status of the alliance talks between the BJP and the AIADMK, which gained peak momentum on Thursday night with the flying visit of the BJP bigwig and union Minister Piyush Goyal, Thambidurai on Friday said that the decision regarding the poll pact wrested with the committee that was formed by the party top brass to hold negotiations with parties interested to align with the AIADMK. “I am not in that committee and so I am not aware of the progress of alliance parleys between AIADMK and BJP, or for that matter with any other political party, national-level or state-level” Thambidurai said.

The Deputy Speaker also was not sure whether he would again contest from Karur parliamentary constituency, under which fell Viralimalai assembly segment to which health minister C Vijaya Baskar belongs to. The health minister has sought a party ticket for his father R Chinnathambi, who was a former union chairman in the party, to contest from Karur Lok Sabha constituency. Senior party functionaries of AIADMK Karur district unit, attribute the entry of Vijaya Baskar’s father as one of the key factors for the Deputy Speaker’s uncertainty talk.

It may also be noted that Senthil Balaji, former minister in the AIADMK cabinet, who was with the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam launched by TTV Dhinakaran, recently crossed over to the DMK dealing a major blow to the ruling party in the district.