Sankarankoil bypoll: DMK open to joint nominee

TIRUCHY: The DMK on Sunday hinted that it is not averse to a common opposition candidate in Sankarankoil if other parties are willing.“The party is ready to consider steps to avoid a split in Opposition votes in the bypoll, if other parties too contemplated about it,” party chief M Karunanidhi told reporters here. He was reacting to a query whether the split in Opposition votes would facilitate an AIADMK victory. Karunanidhi was here to attend the marriage of former minister K N Nehru’s son K N Arun. On the issues to be raised during the bypoll campaign, he said DMK would focus on “power cuts and the deteriorating law and order”. Commenting on the arrest of M Natarajan, husband of Sasikala, estranged aide of the Chief Minister, he said “it was regrettable”.BJP to Go it AloneMeanwhile, the BJP state unit president Pon Radhakrishnan said in Madurai that his party will contest the forthcoming Sankarankoil byelection on its own.Radhakrishnan told reporters that the party’s State level office-bearers were collecting applications from those who wish to contest the by-poll. “The name of the candidate would be announced shortly,” he said.Asked about extending the policy of going it alone in the State to the Lok Sabha polls also, he replied that the Central leadership of the party would decide on it.Answering a query about the State unit of the party opposing the AIADMK, when BJP leader L K Advani had declared the AIADMK a natural ally, he said, “Advani was referring to the floor coordination between the two parties in Parliament.”