Erode East by-poll: Still mourning EVKS, will decide after consulting top brass, DMK prez, says Selvaperunthagai

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Monday said that the State party unit would discuss the issue of fielding a candidate in the by-poll bound Erode East Assembly constituency with the national high command and Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Talking to media persons after inspecting the Chembarambakkam Lake in the company of State Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan, Selvaperunthagai said that they were still mourning over the demise of EVKS Elangovan, who died here on Saturday. "We are in the middle of a seven-day mourning period. We will discuss with the high command and the Chief Minister (Stalin)," the TNCC president added.

Parrying queries about alleged pressure exerted by the ruling DMK on the VCK recently, Selvaperunthagai said that the DMK had not exerted any pressure on 'our' party or leaders. It is for them (VCK) to say if the pressure was exerted.

Dismissing the "One Nation, One Election" Bill as a diversion mooted by the BJP regime at the Centre, the TNCC chief said that they are pushing it despite knowing that it was not feasible to divert attention from rising inflation and Adani issues.