CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) has decided against contesting the Pudukottai Assembly by-election as its alliance partner DMK, for which the seat was originally allotted in the 2011 election, has decided to abstain.
Addressing reporters on Sunday at the Satyamurthi Bhavan, TNCC president B S Gnanadesikan said it was convention that the party that contested the constituency in an alliance during the Assembly elections is given the seat if necessity for a by-election arose. “As the DMK has decided to abstain, we have decided not to contest,” Gnanadesikan said.
Asked if his party would support the opposition candidates, especially DMDK, he said no party has approached the TNCC for support. If such a proposal is put forward, the Congress High Command will take a decision, he said. He added he would meet the coordinator for Tamil Nadu, Gulam Nabi Azad, on May 22 and would appraise him on the scenario in the State.