CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar exuded confidence that the party functionaries, cadres and sympathisers would back the party's decision to boycott the July 10 Vikravandi bypoll.
"The AIADMK never feared facing elections. If there is a possibility of fair and free elections in Vikravandi, we will contest the poll. But it's not possible. So, for us, contesting the bypoll is a waste of time, energy, money and fuel," Jayakumar told media persons. He also recalled the poor show of the DMK in R K Nagar bypoll in 2017 by forfeiting its deposit.
The ruling party that plundered the democratic process in the Erode East bypoll by unleashing its money and muscle power and it would repeat the same in Vikravandi.
However, the AIADMK cadres and sympathisers would not vote except for the "Two-Leaves" symbol. They would abstain from participating in the July 10 elections, Jayakumar said while responding to DMK senior leader R S Bharathi's open challenge to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami that he should admit that the AIADMK cadres and functionaries in Vikravandi rejected him, if they caste they cast their votes.
Rebutting Bharathi's remark that the AIADMK has decided to boycott the Vikravandi bypoll in a bid to revive its alliance with the BJP, Jayakumar reiterated that the party would never go back on its decision on ending its ties with the BJP.
The AIADMK and its cadres had already given "exit" to Sasikala and there is no possibility for her "re-entry", the former minister said and recounting her expulsion of Sasikala along with 12 of her family members from the primary membership of the party and sent out of Veda Nilayam in 2011.
Dispelling the charges of Sasikala that the AIADMK leaders were indulging in caste politics, Jayakumar said that the party is continuing in the path laid down by its leaders M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa.
All are equal in the party, which has representation from each and each section of the society.
She had resorted to cheap politics in the name of caste line.
Jayakumar shrugged off the question on former coordinator of the party O Panneerselvam by calling him an "opportunist" and "selfish person", who acted against the interest of the AIADMK.