CHENNAI: Members of the AIADMK faction led by Edappadi K Palaniswami called on the leaders of Inthiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday, seeking their support for their party candidate contesting in the Erode East by-election.
The delegation led by former minister, D Jayakumar, met T Devanathan Yadav, president of Inthiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam (IMKMK) and other leaders of the party at the IMKMK office.
According to AIADMK sources, Yadav assured to extend the party’s support to AIADMK.
Later, addressing media persons, Jayakumar said the AIADMK candidate (of EPS faction) will win the election. “There is no problem in getting the two-leaves symbol to our candidate,” he said. Commenting on O Panneerselvam’s move to field a candidate in the bypoll, Jayakumar said, “His (OPS’s) candidate will be considered as an independent, and he will lose the deposit.”
Taking a dig at OPS, Jayakumar said, “By acting against the welfare of AIADMK, Panneerselvam has proved that he is a B-team of the ruling DMK. In the Erode East bypoll, the candidate of the OPS camp will get fewer votes than NOTA.”
Earlier on Sunday, Panneerselvam left for Ahmedabad to attend the Pongal festival, organised by Karnavati Tamil Sangam. Before boarding the flight, he told reporters his visit is only for taking part in the Pongal festival, and there is no political agenda behind it.