Chennai: Journalist-turned-politician Marudhu Ganesh asserted on Saturday he would “win hands down” the December 21 bypoll for the RK Nagar Assembly constituency “because the voters will not allow themselves to be cheated again, having seen the ruling party (AIADMK) fail on its promises despite winning the last three times”.
“I have no doubt that the voter in RK Nagar will make a wise decision, a sober choice. They have been cheated throughout. They were told this is VIP constituency and they would get the moon. But nothing was done. I will win for sure”, Ganesh told Deccan Chronicle soon after the party’s announcement of his candidature for the bypoll that had been necessitated by the death of former CM Jayalalithaa last year. The bypoll slated for April 12 was cancelled following serious allegations of large-scale bribing of voters.
“Our candidate is in the fray with the support of our allies. We will appeal to other parties as well to extend their support to our nominee,” DMK working president M K Stalin told reporters at the party headquarters. He exuded confidence that his party would script a “major victory” in the bypoll.
The Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) are among the DMK’s allies. VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, who had fielded former vice-chancellor Vasanthi Devi last time, has now announced support for the DMK.
The Left parties are yet to decide while the PMK and MDMK are silent.
While the AIADMK is likely to decide on its candidate at the meeting of party seniors here on Monday, called primarily to discuss Jayalalithaa’s first death anniversary plans, rebel Dhinakaran has declared he would contest the RK Nagar bypoll but the final decision would be taken by the party politburo and announced after his briefing Chinnamma Sasikala at the Bengaluru jail on November 29.
