Jaya names S Valarmathi as Srirangam candidate

Tiruchirappalli Joint District Secretary S Valarmathi was today declared as the candidate for Srirangam constituency previously held by AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa who was disqualified following conviction in a graft case, for the Februray 13 by-elections.

Jayalalithaa in a statement here announced the candidature of Valarmathi.

The prestigious constituency, home to famous Lord Sri Ranganthar temple is set for a multi-cornered contest with DMK re-nominating N Anand who was defeated by Jayalalithaa in 2011 and BJP making it clear that it will also contest the by-election.

The bypoll necessitated following Jayalalithaa's conviction in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case and her subsequent disqualification will be seen as a report card for the four-year-old AIADMK government and an exercise of self-assessment for DMK and BJP ahead of assembly elections scheduled early next year.

While DMK has just completed its organisational polls and all set to face elections under its 90-year-old President M Karunanidhi, BJP wants to continue with its Modi wave, although the coalition led by the party could win only two of the 39 seats in last year's Lok Sabha elections with AIADMK sweeping the rest of the seats.