RK Nagar: Stalin interviews candidates, AIADMK to announce tomorrow

Two more days are left for the notification of the bypoll in RK Nagar, but mainstream political parties seem to be in no hurry to name their respective candidates.

On Monday, DMK working president MK Stalin, had a session with the 17 aspirants; among them, Shimla Muthuchozhan, who had unsuccessfully contested against Jayalalithaa in 2106 polls, seems to be the front runner.

AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran has said the party’s administrative council, which is likely to meet on March 15, will decide on the party’s candidate for RK Nagar by-poll scheduled on April 12.

Refusing to confirm the speculation that he might be fielded in the byelection, he said, “I have said this many times that the party will decide on the candidate.” However, he said he had no hesitation in contesting.

Stalin on Sunday appealed to opposition parties to consolidate the anti-AIADMK votes and back his party candidate in the April 12 byelection to R K Nagar assembly constituency.

"To restore faith in democracy and teach this proxy regime a fitting lesson all opposition parties should back the DMK candidate," Stalin told reporters in Chennai.