CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Saturday underscored the need for winning the by-elections to all 20 Assembly constituencies and asked the in-charges appointed for the polls to start work immediately. Addressing over 110 in-charges appointed for the 20 constituencies, both leaders explained that 19 of the constituencies were won by AIADMK candidates in 2016 Assembly elections and they had drifted away to the wrong place.
They said it was the duty of party functionaries to win the by-elections to all the constituencies whenever they are notified - whether in a few months or along with Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to newspersons after the discussions, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the AIADMK was ready to face the by-elections any time. However, he declined to reveal the strategies for facing the by-elections that were discussed.
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When asked as to how many functionaries who had drifted away from the party in the recent past had returned to AIADMK following the appeal by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam last week, Jayakumar did not give a straight reply. Instead, he said except the family members of TTV Dhinakaran, others were welcome back to the party.