Chennai, Oct 30 : Election fever will soon grip Tamil Nadu again with the Election Commission announcing its decision to hold another by-election, this time for the Tiruchendur assembly constitutency before January next year.

"Elections for the seat will be held before Jan 30, 2010, and a formal announcement will be made," Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta told reporters here Friday.    

The seat fell vacant as AIADMK's sitting MLA Anitha Radhakrishnan switched loyalties to DMK and resigned from his assembly post.    

It will be interesting to know whether the major opposition parties AIADMK, MDMK and PMK would be contesting in the election or boycott the same as it did the recent by-elections held for five seats.    

Interestingly, PMK which was an ally of AIADMK has recently snapped its ties with the latter and is warming up to DMK.    

On the DMK front, the million-dollar question is the candidate for the Tiruchendur seat.    

Political rumours have that Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers M. K. Alagiri is mulling to contest there and play a bigger role in the state politics than being a minister in the central government.    (IANS)