Headlines
Congress backs out of Tamil Nadu bypoll
Chennai, June 8
The Congress in Tamil Nadu on
Monday joined DMK and PMK in keeping itself away from contesting against
Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in the Radhakrishnan Nagar bye-election
on June 27.
Tamil Nadu Congress chief E.V.K.S. Elangovan alleged that the bypoll will not be held in a free and fair manner.
Opposition parties like DMK, PMK and MDMK have decided to stay away from the contest against the AIADMK general secretary.
However,
the two left parties -- CPI and CPI-M -- has decided to propose CPI
state deputy secretary C. Mahendran as their joint candidate against
Jayalalithaa.
Votes will be counted on June 30.
The
Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency fell vacant after AIADMK member P.
Vetrival resigned to facilitate Jayalalithaa's re-election to the
assembly.
Jayalalithaa, who was elected from the Srirangam
constituency in May 2011, lost her seat and the chief ministers post
after a trial court in Bengaluru convicted her in the disproportionate
assets case.
The Karnataka High Court recently upheld her appeal and acquitted her of all charges.
Jayalalalithaa was again sworn in as chief minister, but she has to get elected to the assembly within six months.