CHENNAI:With the death of AIADMK MLA AK Bose, the Tirupparankundram Assembly constituency, which he represented, has fallen vacant. In a normal course, the Election Commission has to hold by-election within six months from the date of the MLA’s death, that is, by January 2019.
If the EC wishes, the byelection can also take place along with the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. So, this by-election is likely to be a forerunner to the alliance configuration of political parties for the future elections.
By the way, this is the second by-election to Tirupparankundram within two years.AIADMK MLA SM Seenivel elected from this constituency died on May 25, 2016 and Bose was elected from this constituency in the by-election held in October 2016 when the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, was being under treatment in Apollo Hospitals, Chennai.
For the ruling AIADMK and the government headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, it is a by-election thrust on it at a time when the party is facing troubles from many quarters. The verdict in the case challenging the disqualification of 18 MLAs is expected very soon while the ruling party is facing intra-party issues like poor performance in membership drive, delay in forming the steering committee for the party, which has been dragging for the past one year, etc.Besides, the ruling party is also facing severe criticism for going ahead with the Chennai-Salem green corridor project.
Dhinakaran factor
In the by-election, besides DMK, the ruling party has to face Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam led by TTV Dhinakaran since southern districts are the stronghold of the AMMK. On Thursday, after meeting VK Sasikala in Bengaluru prison, Dhinakaran said that many parties were in touch with the AMMK for forging an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections