Chennai: The bypoll in RK Nagar is certain to witness multi-cornered contest, a rare occurrence for more than a decade since many of the parties including the main Opposition has opted for boycott of bypolls in the past.
Even in the same seat, the main opposition DMK boycotted the bypoll in the June 2015 election battle in which former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was in the fray. All parties barring the CPI boycotted the by-elections, alleging that the ruling party would win easily using the official machinery, money and muscle power. But, this time the scenario is totally contrasting with every party looking to confront the same ruling party, which has lost its charismatic leader Jayalalithaa and facing rebellion from its own ranks.
Three candidates from the AIADMK headed by V.K. Sasikala, the rebel leaders led by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Jayalalithaa's niece J. Deepa will be fighting for Jayalalithaa's legacy, while the DMK has already began the process of selecting party candidate.
The PMK, which finished behind Naam Thamizhar party and failed to show its presence in the previous bypolls in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur, has not given any indications about its bypoll plans, but the party is likely to contest in the bypoll,to improve its position in the state's capital. The MDMK has not initiated preparations for the bypoll, but it needs to prove its strength after a disastrous show in the 2016 Assembly polls.
BJP state president Tamilisai Soundarrajan had declared that her party had not boycotted any bypoll and it would field a candidates in RK Nagar.
The Left parties are keen to fight the polls and a decision on which party among them would enter the fray would be taken after consultations. Director P. Seeman's Naam Thamizhar party too wants to join the poll battle and improve its vote base.
The DMDK is in total disarray after the rout in the 2016 Assembly elections and the poor show in the three bypolls-Aravakurichi, Thanjavur and Thirupparankundram. But, the party wants to put up a candidate in RK Nagar to revive its political fortunes. The constituency carved out from Washermenpet in 1977 saw a four-cornered fight in its first elections, among the AIADMK, DMK, Janata and Indira Congress.
There was a six-cornered contest in the 2016 Assembly elections and this time eight to 10 parties could enter the arena, turning the bypoll into a keen tussle that could give an indication of the transformation in state politics after Jayalalithaa's death.
