PMK to boycott Rajya Sabha polls

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), with three members in the Tamil Nadu assembly, Friday decided to boycott the June 27 Rajya Sabha elections.

The party's decision was taken at its executive committee meeting held here, senior leader and former union minister Anbumani Ramadoss told the media.

The party's executive committee meeting passed several resolutions, including to boycott the Rajya Sabha polls, thereby unscoring the stated position of distancing itself from the two major parties in the state, the AIADMK and the DMK.

The party's decision puts the DMK in a fix, as it has to find alternative support for its Rajya Sabha poll candidate Kanimozhi, daughter of DMK patriarch Karunanidhi.

The DMK, with 23 legislators in the assembly, had earlier requested the PMK to support Kanimozhi.

A candidate from Tamil Nadu needs 34 votes to get elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Two small parties, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and Puthiya Tamizhagam, with two legislators each, had earlier pledged their support for Kanimozhi, taking the total number of votes in her favour to 27.

The Congress, with five legislators, has not expressed its choice of support yet though both the DMK and DMDK have requested such support.

A total of six Rajya Sabha members, including Kanimozhi, from Tamil Nadu would retire next month.

As per the current position in the assembly, all four candidates of the ruling AIADMK and the sole Communist Party of India candidate are expected to romp home safely.

The contest will be for the sixth seat between Kanimozhi and DMDK's A.R. Elangovan.