Hindu boys enrol in madrassa

The stage is set for a three-cornered contest in the byelection to the Srirangam Assembly seat, which was held by former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, in Tamil Nadu.

With the revived Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Vasan announcing that his party will not contest the election on Sunday and the Congress deciding to support a common candidate, the contest is likely between the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

With the BJP expressing its intentions to contest the bypoll, the meeting that Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and Pattali Makkal Katchi leaders held with BJP national president Amit Shah led to speculations that the saffron party has sought the support of regional parties.

The ruling AIADMK and the DMK have fielded S Valarmathi and N Anand, respectively, as their candidates.

Maanila Congress chief Vasan, who had quit the Congress to revive his party, said, “Our party is just two months old. We are in the process of strengthening its base across Tamil Nadu.”