Chennai: AIADMK Deputy General Secretary, T T V Dinakaran on Friday exuded confidence that the ruling party will retain RK Nagar Assembly seat in the April 12 byelection.
"The AIADMK candidate will secure a grand victory in the RK Nagar bypoll," he told reporters.
Bypoll to the constituency in the city was necessitated following the death of sitting member and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year. The Election Commission had on Thursday announced the schedule for the byelection.
Asked about reports in a section of media that he was initially keen to contest the bypoll but was now 'hesitant', Dinakaran said not just himself but any candidate who will be selected by the AIADMK Parliamentary Board will face the election 'boldly.'
"Not just me, but anybody, if they are announced as candidate, can boldly face the polls. None from this movement (AIADMK) of 1.3 crore strong supporters will hesitate to do so. Supporters of Amma (Jayalalithaa) are like soldiers with army like discipline," he said.
On the notice by the EC regarding elevation of V K Sasikala as AIADMK General Secretary and rejection of a letter by him in to it, he said that Sasikala had responded to the queries posed by the commission.
"She has responded to whatever questions raised by the Election Commission," Dinakaran, said without elaborating. He had said on Thursday that the reply would be given by the AIADMK chief by Friday, the deadline set by the EC.
Acting on petitions by dissident AIADMK leaders challenging her appointment to the top party post, the EC had sought the response of Sasikala, who is serving her sentence in disproportionate assets case in a Bengaluru jail.
