DMK fields party District Secretary in Thiruvarur by-election

Chennai, Jan 4 (IANS) Ending all speculation about fielding someone from the DMK's "first family", the party on Friday announced the candidature of a senior leader Poondi Kalaivanan as its candidate in the Thiruvarur Assembly by-election on January 28."Party President M.K. Stalin has decided that Poondi Kalaivanan will be the DMK candidate in Thiruvarur," DMK Organising Secretary told reporters at the party headquarters.The 64-year-old Kalaivanan has been the DMK District Secretary of Thiruvarur for more than 10 years and had overlooked the constituency when M. Karunanidhi won the seat in 2016. The seat became vacant after the death of Karunanidhi in August last year.Earlier, there was speculation that the DMK may field either Stalin's sister Selvi or his sib Udhayanidhi in the by-election to cash in on any sympathy wave for the party.
--IANS vsc/mr