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**Summary:**

In April-May of 1995, Tamil Nadu’s political scene was heating up despite unusual cool weather. The Election Commission announced a by-election for the Pudukottai Lok Sabha constituency due to the death of the incumbent. Anti-AIADMK sentiment was growing, and opposition parties saw an opportunity to unite. However, divisions existed among them, particularly regarding supporting a common candidate. Su. Thirunavukkarasar, from the MGR ADMK, was proposed as a consensus candidate, backed by Congress and other smaller parties. But the DMK, led by Karunanidhi, ultimately fielded its own candidate due to a lack of broader consensus, especially from Communist parties and the Janata Dal, who were critical of Congress at the national level. Ultimately, the by-election was cancelled by the Election Commission, citing a request from the Union Home Secretary who wanted the next general election in February 1996. This cancellation created a rift between Thirunavukkarasar and Karunanidhi but they later reconciled and Thirunavukkarasar became an MP of Pudukottai.

**News Article:**

**Pudukottai Bypoll Drama: A Look Back at 1995’s Political Maneuvering**

**CHENNAI, September 17, 2025** – The political landscape of Tamil Nadu in the spring of 1995 was a complex web of alliances and rivalries, a situation brought into sharp focus by a planned by-election for the Pudukottai Lok Sabha constituency. The bypoll, triggered by the death of Congress MP N. Sundararaj, became a battleground for opposition parties seeking to capitalize on growing public dissatisfaction with the then-ruling AIADMK and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Despite an unseasonably cool April and May, political temperatures were soaring. While some opposition parties aimed to unite against the AIADMK, deep divisions complicated matters. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by M. Karunanidhi, faced pressure to join forces with smaller parties and even factions that had splintered from the DMK itself.

A key point of contention was the nomination of a common candidate. Su. Thirunavukkarasar, leader of the MGR ADMK, emerged as a potential consensus figure, backed by the Congress party and several smaller groups. However, the DMK ultimately chose to field its own candidate, A. Periannan, citing a lack of support for Thirunavukkarasar from crucial allies like the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Janata Dal, who were wary of aligning too closely with Congress at the national level.

“In the absence of a consensus for nominating a common candidate, I had no other option than fielding my party’s nominee,” Karunanidhi reportedly said at the time.

Ultimately, the political maneuvering proved moot. Just before the withdrawal deadline for nominations, the Election Commission abruptly cancelled the Pudukottai by-election, along with eight others across India. The decision, attributed to a request from the Union Home Secretary who wanted general elections in February 1996, caught many by surprise, as the same request by all the major national political parties last fortnight for cancellation of the bye-elections on the same grounds was turned down only last week.

According to Thirunavukkarasar, the episode caused a considerable gap between him and the DMK leader. The two later reconciled and Thirunavukkarasar became an MP of Pudukottai. The incident serves as a reminder of the intricate and often unpredictable nature of Tamil Nadu’s political history.

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