CHENNAI: A day after the state unit of the BJP announced that the PMK will contest the Vikravandi assembly by-poll under the NDA alliance, PMK on Saturday named C Anbumani as its candidate for the election. This makes PMK the third major party to announce its candidate for the Vikravandi by-poll, following the ruling DMK.
PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss announced his candidature in a statement. Mr. Anbumani later met Ramadoss at his residence in Thailapuram in Villupuram district, where the latter congratulated him and wished him success in the poll, which is scheduled for July 10.
Anbumani had previously contested from the same constituency in the 2016 assembly elections. He secured 41,428 votes and stood third in the election. DMK won that election and AIADMK was runner-up. It is noteworthy that the PMK, aided by the significant presence of Vanniyar community in the constituency, managed to secure a vote-share of 23.2 % in the constituency despite the party contesting that assembly elections independently by projecting party president Anbumani Ramadoss as its chief ministerial candidate.
The principal opposition party in the state, AIADMK, is yet to announce its candidate. DMK and NTK have respectively fielded Anniyur Siva and Abhinaya.