CPI(M) to back DMK in RK Nagar bypoll

CPI(M) in Tamil Nadu will extend support to DMK in the December 21 bypoll to R K Nagar assembly constituency, party's state secretary G Ramakrishnan said on Thursday.

A decision to this effect was taken at the State Executive meeting held here, he said.

Briefing reporters in the city on the deliberations of the meeting, Ramakrishnan said the party has decided not to contest in the by-election and extend support to the DMK candidate.

The primary reason for supporting DMK was to "teach a lesson to the AIADMK, whose government was dancing to the tune of BJP like a puppet," he said.

"BJP was attempting to gain foothold in the state through AIADMK, which was neither opposing the Centre's anti-people and anti-Tamil Nadu stance like NEET, Cauvery Management Board, nor raising its voice against the ill-effects of demonetisation and GST," the CPI(M) leader alleged.

In this backdrop, the meeting resolved to defeat the AIADMK-BJP combine, (even if BJP fields its own candidate) and teach a lesson to the ruling party, he said.

To a query whether his party will continue to support DMK in future, Ramakrishnan clarified that it was not an electoral alliance, but was purely aimed at defeating and teaching a lesson to AIADMK, considering the present situation in the state.

VCK and CPI have already extended their support to DMK's candidate.

DMK has named N Marudu Ganesh as its candidate for the bypoll to Dr Radha Krishnan Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai, which fell vacant after the demise of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa last year.

PTI