RS polls: DMK seeks Cong backing for Kanimozhi

New Delhi, June 19: After DMDK, former UPA ally DMK today approached Congress seeking support for its candidate Kanimozhi as both the Tamil Nadu parties are set to fight for the sixth seat in the June 27 biennial elections to Rajya Sabha from the state.

Senior DMK leader T R Baalu met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and requested her to support the candidature of Kanimozhi, party supremo M Karunanidhi's daughter.

This is the perhaps the first meeting between a DMK representative and Gandhi after they parted ways few months back on the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Congress is yet to decide on the issue, party sources said. The main opposition party in the state DMDK had on Tuesday approached Congress seeking support for its candidate.

"Five DMDK MLAs met me and gave me a letter, which requested Congress to support their candidate in the RS polls. I have forwarded the letter to Delhi...The party high command will take a decision on it," Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B S Gnanadesikan said.

DMDK, headed by actor-turned-politician Vijayakant, fielded party treasurer A R Elangovan as its candidate on Monday and as such the biennial elections for six Rajya Sabha seats from the state seems headed for a contest.

The ruling AIADMK is already assured of four seats with its strength of 151 members in the 234-member state assembly.

With Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa agreeing to withdraw the candidature of K Thangamuthu, who was nominated for the fifth seat, in favour of CPI's D Raja, he is expected to gain the required 34 votes for victory.

DMDK and DMK are now set to fight for the sixth seat in the polls with the latter having renominated Kanimozhi.

PTI