Chennai, Sep 12 (IANS): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is expected to announce on Saturday its stand on the October 6 Assembly bye-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, which have emerged as the first major electoral test for Chief Minister Vijay’s government.
The CPM State executive committee will meet on Saturday to decide whether the party should support the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) or adopt a different position.
Although the CPM extends outside support to the Vijay government, it has not joined the newly-constituted Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance or announced support for TVK’s candidates.
The ruling alliance comprises TVK, the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, MDMK and the Indian Union Muslim League.
The four alliance partners have already declared their support for the TVK candidates in both constituencies.
The bye-elections are set for a three-cornered contest after TVK, the DMK and the AIADMK announced their nominees.
TVK has fielded K. Maragatham Kumaravel in Madurantakam and P. Sathyabama in Dharapuram.
The DMK has nominated lawyers I. Paranthaman and S. Suganya, respectively, while the AIADMK has chosen former legislator Kanitha Sampath for Madurantakam and Bhanumathi for Dharapuram.
Polling will be held on October 6 and votes will be counted on October 9.
The vacancies arose after Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama, who won the constituencies on AIADMK tickets in the April Assembly election, resigned as MLAs and joined TVK.
Vijay subsequently nominated both former legislators to seek a fresh mandate under the ruling party’s banner.
The contests are taking place in a dramatically changed political environment following Vijay’s emergence as Chief Minister.
The TVK won 108 of the 234 Assembly constituencies, crushing the then-ruling DMK and disrupting the State’s long-established DMK-AIADMK bipolar political order.
Vijay has since consolidated his position by bringing several former DMK allies into the TVK-led alliance.
Consequently, the DMK must now confront not only the ruling party but also organisations that had previously supported it.
The AIADMK, meanwhile, faces the challenge of retaining constituencies it won only months ago against its own former legislators.
The results will be seen as an early assessment of Vijay’s government, the strength of the new ruling alliance and the ability of the DMK and AIADMK to recover ground.
