DMK, NTK candidates file nominations for Sulur bypoll

Coimbatore: The election scene in Coimbatore is once again picking pace with former DMK minister Pongalur N Palaniswamy filing nominations on Friday for the Sulur assembly byelection scheduled for May 19.
Palaniswamy was accompanied by former minister and DMK in charge for Sulur byelection work A V Velu. After filing nominations, Palaniswamy told reporters that he was confident of winning the election with a huge margin.
High drama ensued when Palaniswamy visited the taluk office with party cadres accompanying him. Naam Thamizhar Katchi candidate Vijayaraghavan who came out after filing his nominations objected to several members accompanying Palaniswamy. As NTK cadres started raising slogans accusing the police of stopping their vehicle while allowing Palaniswamy’s, DMK men too raised counter slogans forcing the police to intervene. Police subsequently stopped one of the cars accompanying Palaniswamy after which NTK cadres dispersed. However, Vijayaraghavan said they would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission.
Palaniswamy, though, was unfazed and brushed aside the protest as insignificant. The former DMK heavyweight, for whom the Sulur bypoll is sort of a fresh innings, will be crossing swords against AIADMK’s V P Kandasamy, a close relative of late Sulur MLA Kanagaraj. Kanagaraj died few days back due to cardiac arrest necessitating the election. Both the Dravdian majors have started preparations for the election. Velu held a meeting with party workers couple of days ago and urged the cadres to concentrate on dalit voters. He told the workers that though Arunthathiyars form the second biggest caste bloc in the region, their votes were not properly tapped by DMK.
AIADMK too has drafted a blueprint for the bypoll. While chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will be campaigning in Sulur on May 1, deputy chief minister O Panneerslevam would be campaigning on May 14.