Chennai: After a delay, the EPS-OPS faction of the AIADMK has finally come to a consensus and announced its candidate for the upcoming RK Nagar bypoll. E Madhusudhanan, presidium chairman of the AIADMK, is being fielded as the candidate.
Madhusudhan, a senior member and an O Panneerselvam loyalist had contested in April as the candidate for RK Nagar representing the OPS camp. Madhusudhanan had won the RK Nagar constituency in 1991.
The candidate was chosen after disagreement in the EPS-OPS camp on the candidate. However, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar maintained that there was no rift in the party. "We have unanimously decided that Madhusudhanan is our candidate. We are confident of winning. We will make sure our enemies lose their deposits."
So far, the ruling party has won a by-poll in Tamil Nadu. This time around, it may not be a cake walk for the EPS-OPS combine. TTV Dinakaran of the Sasikala camp is a candidate in the RK Nagar bypolls and he claims the support of the AIADMK cadres and the people of Tamil Nadu.
This by-poll is going to be an acid test for the warring factions. Not to forget the DMK that is also hoping to win this time. DMK’s candidate is N Marudhu Ganesh who was chosen for the RK Nagar last time too. Deepa Jayakumar, niece of late J Jayalalithaa, will also contest from RK Nagar.
RK Radhakrishnan, Associate Editor, Frontline, said: "DMK undoubtedly has an advantage this time because the party is united. The merged factions of AIADMK have been behaving more like an alliance than a united party. This has led to confusion among cadre. The real competition is for the number 2 position between the new combined AIADMK (EPS-OPS faction) and TTV. If TTV wins, he can claim that he is the real AIADMK and if EPS-OPS faction wins, then they they will lay claim."
The Election Commission is trying to beef up the security and installing CCTVs to ensure cash is not distributed to voters. Now, all eyes are on December 24 when the results will be declared for the RK Nagar bypolls.
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