Tamil Nadu Assembly elections: Sitting DMK MLA P Saravanan joins BJP in Chennai
- Saravanan, who is Thiruparankundram MLA, was dropped from the candidates' list by DMK after the constituency was allotted to its ally Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA P Saravanan joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chennai on Sunday. The move comes ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to be held in April.
Saravanan, who is Thiruparankundram MLA, was dropped from the candidates' list by DMK after the constituency was allotted to its ally Communist Party of India (Marxist).
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Speaking to news agency ANI, P Saravanan said: "I was a member of BJp about six years ago. Today, I have joined this party because it has able leadership led by prime minister Narendra Modi. My discussion for joining BJP was underway for the past 2-3 months and today I have joined."
"As a doctor, I seriously doubted a vaccine for COVID-19. But now, the vaccine for COVID-19 is not only given to the people of the country but also being transported to other countries as well. This itself is a bright example of the able leadership under which our country is running today," he added.
On March 13, after the DMK denied a ticket to sitting MLA Dr P Saravanan from the Thiruparankundram Assembly constituency, his supporters staged a protest here in Madurai.
The DMK has allotted the Thiruparankundram seat to its ally CPI (M).
Saravanan had won the Thiruparankundram constituency in 2019 bye-elections.
Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2. The term of the 15th legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu is ending on May 2, 2021.
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