CHENNAI: In yet another change of candidates by the AIADMK, actor S S Chandran, who was nominated as the party’s candidate for the Central Chennai constituency, was replaced on Wednesday by S M K Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
In a public meeting in Chennai kickstarting the party’s campaign, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa announced that Jinnah will be taking on DMK’s star candidate Dayanidhi Maran in a straight contest. Though Chandran was introduced officially at Seven Wells in the Mint area in the morning, he was replaced by evening, reportedly at his own behest.
According to party sources, Chandran has been advised by doctors not to undergo any stress, after he suffered chest pain. So it is said that Chandran met Jayalalithaa on Sunday and requested her to allow him to pull out of the electoral race.
Though Chandran could have been an appropriate opponent for Dayanidhi Maran, given his oratory style and popularity as a celluloid comedian, Jinnah too is expected to garner a sizeable number of votes in the constituency that has a large number of Muslim voters, particularly in areas such as Thousand Lights and Triplicane.
Jinnah, who is the AIADMK’s North Chennai minorities wing secretary, is a real estate promoter. He hails from the constituency area and hence could swing votes in favour of the AIADMK though Central Chennai is considered a DMK bastion.