Erode Bypoll: OPS announces candidate

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam, heading the rival AIADMK faction, on Wednesday announced his party’s candidate for the February 27 by-election to Erode East Assembly constituency. Hours after former chief minister K Palaniswami, leading the dominant faction, named former legislator K S Thennarasu as the AIADMK candidate, his estranged colleague Panneerselvam convened a press conference and announced his nominee — Senthil Murugan. Asked about the confusion his decision in contesting against another AIADMK candidate would create, Panneerselvam replied that his group was the real AIADMK. “I am still the coordinator of AIADMK and our candidate will get the Two Leaves symbol,” he claimed. However, in the event of the BJP deciding to contest, his candidate would withdraw from the race, he said.