With CPI out, DMK looks to cash in on oppn votes

TIRUCHY: The decision of the CPI not to contest in the Pudukottai bypoll has come as a morale booster for the DMK, as the move will avert a split in opposition votes. Unlike the Sankarankoil bypoll, which the CPI boycotted, the party had not announced a boycott here. There is a difference between ‘not contesting’ and ‘poll boycott’, stressed a party functionary. Poll boycott would mean that the cadre and voters would not take part in the poll, while the party’s voters were free to support any party, he said.The functionaries of DMK, which is keen to contest the bypoll, feel that the party would be able to garner the CPI votes, since its supporters were angry with the AIADMK for not allocating the seat to it. The DMK has lost the seat by narrow margins in the last two Assembly elections and the party has popular candidates in the constituency. It also expects good support from Congress leader S Thirunavukkarasar, who wields considerable clout in the constituency, from the time, when he was in the AIADMK under its founder MGR. At the moment, both the MDMK and DMDK have not decided on contesting the bypoll. The DMK functionaries are hopeful that both the parties could refrain from throwing the hat in the ring. Even if they fielded candidates, they would not pose much of a challenge for the DMK. The MDMK had obtained over 10,000 votes when it contested in the constituency on its own during 1996 and 2001 Assembly polls and the bypoll in 1997. The DMDK has polled more than 6,000 votes when it fielded its candidate in 2006 Assembly poll. In Sankarakoil, the DMK performed poorly, as both the MDMK and DMDK secured a major chunk of opposition votes.