Chennai: The main opposition DMK today said N Pugazhendhi will contest on behalf of the party in the Vikravandi by-poll. He is the treasurer of the party’s Villupuram district unit and it will be the first election for him. The announcement was made after DMK president M K Stalin interviewed the candidates this morning at Anna Arivalayam.
Meanwhile, it is expected that the AIADMK candidates for the Vikravandi and Naanguneri by-elections will be announced later today. AIADMK finished interviewing the candidates who have submitted willing forms to contest in the by-elections yesterday evening.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam who are also the join coordinator and coordinator of the AIADMK interviewed the aspirants last evening. While AIADMK will be contesting in both the constituencies, on behalf of the DMK-led alliance, DMK and Congress will contest in the Vikravandi and Nanguneri respectively.
The Election Commission of India on 21 September announced that by-elections for Vikravandi and Nanguneri Assembly constituencies will be held 21 October. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said the counting will take place on 24 October.
“Nominations will begin 23 September and last date to file papers is 30 September. Scrutiny will take place on 1 October and 3 October is the last day to withdraw the nominations,” he said in New Delhi, while announcing by-polls for 64 Assembly constituencies across the country and general elections for Maharashtra and Haryana Assemblies. The Vikravandi Assembly seat fell vacant after DMK MLA K Rathamani passed away in June. Nanguneri is vacant after Congress MLA H Vasantha Kumar resigned in May after being elected as Member of Parliament.