AIADMK confident to secure grand victory in January 28 Tiruvaur bypoll

The ruling AIADMK Saturday exuded the confidence of securing a grand victory in the January 28 Tiruvaur bypoll, saying such a win will 'create history' for the party in this year's Lok Sabha polls. The AIADMK Parliamentary Board interviewed ticket aspirants here today and its nominee will be announced in a day or two, party Coordinator and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said. Both Panneerselvam and Chief Minister K Palaniswami, the AIADMK Joint Coordinator, exuded confidence of the party's victory in the bypoll. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Panneerselvam said 45 of the 52 ticket aspirants were interviewed today with the rest unable to make it due to "unavoidable reasons."

"We will announce the candidate in a day or two," he said. On demands from some sections to defer the bypoll, citing relief work in the aftermath of the November 16 cyclone 'Gaja' in Tiruvarur, Panneerselvam said the AIADMK was ready to face the election any time. "As far as the AIADMK is concerned, we are ready to face the polls any time to secure a grand victory," he added. When it was pointed out that AIADMK usually names its nominees ahead of others and asked if there was any 'delay' in taking a decision, Palaniswami said there was still time left for filing nominations. Asked if AIADMK was 'apprehensive' of facing the bypoll, he said not fielding the candidate immediately did not mean that the ruling party was 'afraid' of facing the hustings.

"We are ready to face polls anytime and only we will win," he said. The Opposition DMK and T T V Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam have named their candidates for the bypoll, necessitated due to the death of former Chief Minister and then DMK president M Karunanidhi on August 7 last year. Palaniswami recalled AIADMK's thumping win in the 2013 Yercaud bypoll when the late J Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister despite opposition claims that the ruling party would be defeated. That victory later translated into the party's impressive show in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he said, recalling AIADMK securing 37 of the 39 seats in the state under Jayalalithaa. Such a scenario would be repeated this time too, he said.

"We will win the Tiruvarur bypoll and it will create a big history for us in (this year's) Lok Sabha polls," he added. Once AIADMK names its nominee, it will confirm a triangular contest in the late Karunanidhi's home turf with DMK and AMMK. The M K Stalin-led DMK has named Poondi K Kalaivanan, while S Kamaraj is AMMK's choice. Both candidates are the Tiruvarur District Secretaries for the respective parties.

(With inputs from agencies.)