DMK fields two former ministers for May 19 Tamil Nadu bypolls

The DMK on Saturday named candidates for the May 19 bypolls to four Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and fielded former ministers Pongalur N Palanisamy and V Senthil Balaji from Sulur and Aravakkurichi. The party named P Saravanan and M C Shanmugaiah from Tirupparankundram and Ottappidaram (Reserved) constituencies respectively.

Palanisamy was Rural Industries Minister in the DMK government from 2006-11 and Balaji was Transport Minister between 2011-15 in the AIADMK government.

Balaji had quit the TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and joined the DMK on December 14 2018. Balaji, who was elected from Aravakkurichi in 2016, was among the 18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs for siding with Dhinakaran.

Saravanan, a Madurai based oncologist, had preferred an eleciton petition before the Madras High Court against A K Bose, who was elected in 2016. Belonging to the AIADMK, Bose died last year and he had represented Tirupparankundram seat in Madurai district.

The Madras High Court had recently set aside Bose’s election and bypolls were notified by the Election Commission days ago. Of the 22 vacant Assembly seats, bypolls will be held to 18 constituencies on April 18 and the remaining four on May 19.