Bypoll: Jaya,Karuna to hit campaign trail

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Minister Mariam Pichai in a road accident days after he joined the cabinet.

Jayalalithaa has fielded M Paranjothi,a former AIADMK MLA from Srirangam,which she represents in the present assembly,and will canvass for him on October 9.

The DMK candidate is former Transport Minister K N Nehru,now in jail on land grabbing charges.

Karunanidhi,who had recently mentioned internal differences having a say in DMK’s poor show in the assembly polls,will campaign on October 10.

AIADMK will bank on its three-month old government’s performance,with Jayalalithaa launching a slew of populist schemes like free laptops for students as promised in her party’s manifesto for the assembly polls.

DMK for its part would seek to reclaim lost glory,with statistics loaded in its favour. The party had returned members to the assembly since 1996 before anti-incumbency proved fatal for Nehru’s chances while seeking a successive term this year.

Karunanidhi’s son and party Treasurer,M K Stalin,who filed Nehru’s nomination papers on his behalf,would campaign for four days starting October 8.