"Waste of resources": AIDMK leader D Jayakumar on party's decision to boycott Vikravandi by-polls

New Delhi [India], June 17 : Following All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)'s decision to boycott Vikravandi assembly constituency by-polls, which are scheduled for July 10, party leader D Jayakumar on Monday said that contesting by-polls is a "waste of resources".
In a conversation with ANI, Jayakumar said, "It is the decision of the party to boycott the Vikravandi by-elections. Whenever DMK comes, all the administrative missionaries in the elections have been misused... Ministers come out to campaign for the elections, spend crores of rupees and give gifts to each and every household. We have already filed so many petitions to bring to light the misuse of money during elections..."
"Democracy is being killed in Tamil Nadu... Contesting this by-election is actually a waste of resources... Boycotting the elections will in no way affect the party or stop us from forming the government in the next term", he claimed.
Earlier, the AIDMK announced to boycott of the Vikravandi Assembly constituency by-polls that are scheduled for July 10.
The Vikravandi Assembly constituency by-poll was necessitated by the untimely demise of DMK MLA Pugazhenthi in April.
Former Tamil Nadu CM and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami attacked the DMK government and alleged that DMK will indulge in "violence, money power" and that the elections will not be conducted freely and fairly.
"The ruling party, DMK, will indulge in violence, and money power and will not give people the freedom to cast their votes. Elections will not be conducted freely and fairly, so AIADMK is boycotting this election," Palaniswami said.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday slammed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for boycotting the Vikravandi assembly by-elections, alleging that the party decided on the instructions from the "top" to "facilitate" NDA's electoral chances.
In a post on X, the former Union Minister emphasised that the INDIA bloc must ensure the victory of the DMK candidate for the seat.
"AIADMK's decision to boycott the Vikravandi by-election is clear evidence that it has received instructions from the 'top' to facilitate the electoral chances of the NDA candidate (PMK). Both the BJP and AIADMK are fighting the battle through a proxy (PMK). The INDIA bloc must ensure the resounding victory of the DMK candidate," he said.
As the AIDMK has opted out of the by-polls, the Vikravandi assembly constituency will witness a direct contest between the ruling DMK and the BJP.