Filing of nominations ends for 4 bypoll seats

On the last day, candidates of the ruling AIADMK and other parties filed their papers for the bypolls for Aravakurichi, Ottapdiram, Tiruparankundram and Sulur Assembly seats.

AIADMK candidate P Kandasamy on Monday filed his nomination for the bypoll to Sulur Assembly constituency. G Mayilsamy of Makkal Needhi Maiam also filed his papers for the poll, necessitated by the death of sitting AIADMK MLA R Kanagaraj, officials said.

Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani, who accompanied Kandasamy, asserted there was no dissent in the party over the candidature and said the party was united as always. Kandasamy will win with a margin of over 50,000 votes, he told reporters.

In all there were 22 vacant Assembly seats out of which bypoll for 18 seats were held along with Lok Sabha polls on April 18 itself.

For the remaining four seats, polling would be held on May 19 and counting of votes would be taken up on May 23.

The bypoll to 22 Assembly seats is more crucial for the stability of the government, and the ruling party has to win a good number of seats to ensure a simple majority in the 234-member House.

The strength of AIADMK in the Assembly has come down to 114 from 136 (when it won in 2016) —three short of a simple majority —after the disqualification of 18 rebel MLAs owing allegiance to AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran, nephew of late leader J Jayalalithaa’s close aide VK Sasikala. 

The three Independents, who won on AIADMK ‘Two Leaves’ symbol in 2016 Assembly polls, have also turned against the government and were supporting Dhinakaran, who won the RK Nagar bypoll.

Three other MLAs too were said to be moving closer to AMMK, making it even more crucial for the AIADMK to win a significant number of seats in the bypoll.