By-elections to two seats in Tamil Nadu on Oct 21

By-elections to two assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, which are vacant, will be held on October 21,the Election Commission announced on Saturday.

Counting of votes polled in the elections to Vikravandi and Nanguneri will be taken up on October 24. While the by-poll in Vikravandi was necessitated due to death of its MLA Rathamani, Nanguneri fell vacant after H Vasantha Kumar was elected as MP from Kanyakumari.

The Congress, which contested and won Nanguneri in 2016 assembly polls, has expressed interest in contesting the by-polls by fielding its own candidate. The DMK had won Vikravandi.

Immediately, after the by-poll schedule was announced, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K S Azhagiri and senior leaders rushed to the DMK headquarters and requested Stalin to allot Naguneri seat to the party.

The by-election will witness a keen fight between the AIADMK and DMK as this is the first assembly by-poll after the Lok Sabha polls. The DMK will be under compulsion to win both the seats as losing would mean that the party has lost its sheen after the Lok Sabha polls.

The AIADMK is under pressure to romp home as the party hasn't won any major election after the death of its leader J Jayalalithaa.