NEW DELHI: Sidelined AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran has said he is not averse to contesting in the upcoming RK Nagar bypoll. The Election Commission said by-election to the RK Nagar seat will be held before the end of the year. The seat was vacated by the death of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
On October 15, Dinakaran said he is ready to contest the bypoll, however, added that party general secretary VK Sasikala would decide the candidate. He is currently engaged in a bitter fight with the K Palaniswami-led government, and had even met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao seeking Palaniswami's removal as Chief Minister. After launching a health camp to distribute Niluvembu Kudineer (herbal drink) to combat dengue fever at Srirangam, Dinakaran said the state government had failed miserably in landing the dengue outbreak.
Asserting himself as a former byelection candidate of RK Nagar, he said he will not shy away from contesting in the ensuing bypoll for the same segment. “Even though I am willing, the party's high command headed by general secretary will pick the candidate for the bypoll. We will win the byelection as our supporters have started preparatory work soon after the EC announced it would be held before December 31,” he said. Speaking on the sidelines of the health camp, he also added, “By providing wrong data about dengue deaths, the Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam-led government wants to continue to be in power.”
Dinakaran said his team would welcome any AIADMK leader who embraced Sasikala as his or her leader. He also alleged that the police department has been “harassing” political leaders associated with him while organising public events. “Police personnel irrespective of their rank should responsibly discharge their duties without showing bias. Soon, we will put an end to the EPS-OPS rule through an assembly election in the state, and will bring governance of MGR and Jayalalithaa.”
