Five-corner fight in Dharapuram, Maduranthakam bypolls; campaign heats up

The final list of candidates for the Dharapuram and Maduranthakam Assembly by-elections has been released, setting the stage for a five-corner contest and a sharper campaign on the ground. With major parties naming star campaigners, electioneering has begun to pick up pace in both constituencies.

The bypolls were triggered after six AIADMK MLAs who had won in the April Assembly election resigned and joined the ruling TVK. Of these, by-elections are being held only in Dharapuram and Maduranthakam, with polling scheduled for next month on the 6th.

After nominations were filed from September 9 to 16, September 19 was the last day for withdrawals and the final candidates were confirmed. In Dharapuram, 22 candidates are in the fray, including TVK’s Sathyabama, DMK’s Suganya, AIADMK’s Bhanumathi, NTK’s Karthika and CPI’s Lakshmanan. In Maduranthakam, 27 candidates are contesting, including TVK’s Maragatham Kumaravel, DMK’s Paranthaman, AIADMK’s Kanitha Sampath, NTK’s Janakiraman and CPI(M)’s Suganthi.

The Election Commission has also released lists of star campaigners. TVK’s list includes Chief Minister Vijay and several ministers, along with Tamil Nadu Congress chief Manickam Tagore, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, VCK leader Thirumavalavan and Muslim League national leader Khader Mohideen. The DMK has named party chief Stalin, general secretary Durai Murugan, treasurer T.R. Baalu, K.N. Nehru, Kanimozhi and opposition leader Udhayanidhi, while the AIADMK has listed general secretary EPS, K.P. Munusamy and Dindigul Srinivasan among its key campaigners.

With alliances reshuffled since the last Assembly election, the contest has become more complex: Congress, VCK and the Muslim League—previously in the DMK-led alliance—are now with TVK, while CPI(M) and CPI, which extend outside support to the TVK government, are contesting independently in both seats. The PMK, which was earlier with the AIADMK, has said it will not back any party in the bypolls, a move seen as a setback for the AIADMK in Maduranthakam where the PMK is said to have a notable vote base.