The 1981 byelection that triggered turns and twists in Tamil Nadu politics

…the Congress (I)’s R. Arunagiri and the Janata’s nominee. On the day when the ruling party at the Centre announced its candidate, a statement was issued by the party’s president and the Prime Minister, who said: “ We are putting up our own candidate. We welcome support from all political parties and all sections of the people in Tamil Nadu ”. Aimed at widening its gap with the DMK, the Congress (I)’s general secretary M. Satyanarayana Rao left it to the TNCC (I) president to decide as to whether leaders and workers of other parties should be invited to…

…Assembly by-election “on its own.” Asked if this would mean a break with the DMK which had forged an alliance with the Congress (I) during the 1980 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Union Minister replied that “ you may draw your own inference; there are no permanent alliances or permanent enmities in politics ,” according to this newspaper on October 18, 1981. Even a few months ago, the hints were dropped by general secretary of the Congress (I), Kalpanath Rai, described the tie-up as “temporary.” On October 31, MGR called…

…would not turn down “legitimate claims” of the State government. Bypoll announcement Two weeks later came the announcement that the bypoll to the Tiruppathur constituency, the event of which, in the words of MGR, “ might cause turns and twists in the political climate of Tamil Nadu. ” Polling would take place on November 29. The Chief Minister’s observation drew sarcastic comment from his traditional adversary, DMK chief and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, as recorded in MGR: A Life,”…