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On 17 June 1979 a by-election was held in for the Nagapattinam seat in the Lok Sabha (lower house of the parliament of India).[1][2][3] The by-election was called after the murder of the incumbent Communist Party of India parliamentarian S.G. Murugaiyan, one of three prominent communist leaders killed in the state of Tamil Nadu in 1979.[3][4] The Nagapattinam constituency was reserved for Scheduled Castes.[5]
By 1979, CPI had moved away from the Indian National Congress (I).[3] The CPI candidate K. Murugaiyan had the support from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).[3] The CPI candidate, himself a bonded labourer, had overwhelming support from the Dalit communities in the constituency.[3][6]
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate M. Mahalingam had the support from the Congress(I).[3] The Nagapattinam by-election was held simultaneously as a by-election in the Thanjavur Lok Sabha constituency.[7] AIADMK supported the Congress(I) candidate in Thanjavur, and AIADMK supremo M.G. Ramachandran toured both constituencies during the election campaign.[7] Nevertheless, the Congress(I) leader Indira Gandhi only campaigned in Thanjavur.[7]