CHENNAI, June 22 -Dealing a blow to DMK, which was banking on its support to ensure victory of Kanimozhi in Rajya Sabha polls, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Friday announced it would boycott the June 27 biennial elections to the Upper House from Tamil Nadu.
A resolution to boycott the polls was passed unanimously at PMK Executive Council meeting here, a party statement said.
Stating that some “political parties” had approached the party seeking its support, it said the Executive members urged that PMK should be “firm” in its earlier General Council decision that it should never ally with Dravidian parties in future polls.
“Points raised during the general council meeting were discussed in detail at today’s meeting and a unanimous decision was taken by state and district secretaries that it (RS polls) should be boycotted,” the statement said.
The DMK which has 23 MLAs in the 234-member Assembly as against the required 34 and actor-politician Vijaykanth’s DMDK (22 MLAs) are locked in a fierce battle for the sixth seat in the biennial polls.
AIADMK which has fielded four candidates and Left parties (one) have enough numbers to ensure victory of their respective contestants. The ruling party is backing CPI nominee D. Raja.
DMK has bagged the support of Puthiya Tamizhagam and Manitha Neya Makkal Katchi, both having two MLAs each, while the DMDK has openly approached the Congress for support to its candidate A.R. Elangovan, aspiring to make his debut to the Upper House of Parliament.
With the Congress, having five MLAs, yet to announce its stand, the DMK was expecting PMKs support for re-election of Kanimozhi, the prime accused in the 2G spectrum scam and daughter of party chief M. Karunanidhi.
PMK has three MLAs — Kalai Arasu, A. Ganeshkumar and ‘Kaduvetti’ J. Guru a.k.a Gurunathan. Guru has been detained under National Security Act last month after his arrest in connection with recent Marakanam violence.
– INDIA TODAY
