Chennai: PWA constituents VCK and CPI on Sunday decided to boycott the April 12 bypoll to RK Nagar Assembly constituency after their efforts to convince their ally CPI(M) not to field a candidate for the high-stakes election failed.
The CPI (M) had on Saturay announced its candidate for the by-poll, after differences cropped up between the three constituents of the PWA, an alliance that was stitched in July 2015 as a “credible alternative” to the mainstream Dravidian parties.
In a related development, MDMK, a former constituent of the PWA, also announced its decision to boycott the bypolls, which is headed for a six-way contest with both factions of the AIADMK, late Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar, DMK, BJP and DMDK deciding to face the polls.
“The MDMK’s high-level committee decided unanimously to boycott the by-election to Dr R K Nagar Assembly seat. Our party will not support any outfit – directly or indirectly – this polls,” MDMK chief Vaiko, who left the PWA in December last year, told reporters after the meeting.
At a joint meeting a day after CPI (M) took a contradictory stand, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan and CPI state secretary R Mutharasan held consultations on Sunday and announced their stand of not supporting any political party in the by-election.
Briefing reporters, Mr Thirumavalavan said while there was a discussion in the beginning on consolidating secular forces in the interest of the future, the CPI (M) was adamant on contesting the elections.
“The CPI and VCK will neither contest the Dr R K Nagar by-election nor it will support any political party,” Mr Thirumavalavan said.
Mr Mutharasan said the CPI and VCK have been forced to take a neutral stand since the CPI (M) was “adamant” on contesting the byelection. However, he also said CPI (M) fielding a candidate does not mean that there is “huge contradiction” between the party and CPI and VCK.
“It is true that there is a difference of opinion on this issue of contesting the by-election. We tried to build a consensus, but unfortunately we could not do it,” Mr Mutharasan concluded.
