DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday said the party would not contest the June 27 by-election to the Tamil Nadu assembly from the Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency.The assembly elections were only a year away and democratic norms would not be followed during this bypoll and hence the party would not contest the seat, Karunanidhi said in a statement issued here.The seat fell vacant with the resignation of AIADMK lawmaker P.Vetrival. AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa is likely to contest the seat to get re-elected in the wake of the Karnataka High Court order setting aside her conviction by a lower court in a disproportionate assets case.
Jayalalithaa, elected from the Srirangam constituency in May 2011, lost her seat and the chief ministership after the trial court in Bangalore convicted her in a disproportionate assets case and sentenced her for four years in jail and also imposed Rs.100 crore fine. According to the statutory provisions, Jayalalalithaa, who is not a member of the state legislature, has to get elected to the assembly within six months from May 23, when she was sworn in as the chief minister.The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced the Radhakrishnan Nagar by-election schedule, with polling slated for June 27. It fixed June 3 for issuance of the poll notification and June 10 the last date for filing nominations. Counting of votes would be taken up on June 30.