Karur seat vacant, TN set for bypolls in 7 constituencies

The Karur Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu has been declared vacant following the resignation of former State minister MR Vijayabaskar as MLA, taking the total number of vacant seats in the state to seven, an official said on Tuesday.

The State is set for bypolls in the seven Assembly constituencies.

Vijayabaskar, who won from Karur defeating the TVK candidate VP Mathiyalagan in the April 23 Assembly election, quit as a legislator on June 29. He is likely to join the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. He was among 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs who voted in favour of the TVK Government during the floor test in the Assembly on May 13.

He was the sixth legislator from the AIADMK to quit the position following the party’s electoral setback in the Assembly election. The party has been facing the crisis of exodus of its cadres since the poll results were announced on May 4. Following his resignation, the total number of vacancies in the Assembly has risen to seven — six vacancies created by the resignations of AIADMK MLAs and the Tiruchirappalli East constituency vacated by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay following his victory from two seats. He has retained the Perambur constituency in Chennai.

This brings the strength of the AIADMK in the Assembly to 41 from 47. All six lawmakers who had given up their seats had voted in favour of the TVK Government during the floor test, defying the party’s diktat.

Days after the floor test, AIADMK members Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama, S Jayakumar and later Esakki Subaya resigned and joined the TVK. Earlier, former health minister C Vijayabaskar, a medical doctor by profession, resigned as an MLA and quit the party. He is likely to join the TVK soon.

Their decision to resign has caused vacancies in Karur, Viralimalai, Madurantakam, Dharapuram, Perundurai, Ambasamudram seats, besides Tiruchirappalli East.