MADURAI: Only about three weeks are left for what is turning out to be one of the toughest election in the recent times and almost all candidates have hit the street. Almost all, barring the Congress.
The national party that is contesting from 41 seats in the DMK-led coalition is yet to announce candidates for eight seats, which, sources say, is due to the lobbying by various factions within the party.
If sources are to be believed, one of the constituencies that all factions are eyeing is Mylapore in Chennai. The names that are making the rounds here are actor-politician Khushbu, who has the support of TNCC president EVKS, ‘Karate’ R Thiagarajan from the P Chidambaram faction, and former president KV Thangkabalu, who is trying to get for his son this seat where he contested and lost five years ago.
Incidentally, Khushbu had called on DMK president M Karunanidhi at his residence on Wednesday, which intensified the speculations about her candidature.
Similarly, TNCC treasurer NS Ramachandran is reportedly seeking Maduravoyal constituency for his son, which is also sought by the grandson of former minister Kakkan, Tamil Selvan.
At Sivakasi in the Nadar belt where the party still has pockets of support, Elangovan is pushing the case of Ganesh, though former Virudhunagar MP, Manicka Tagore, is lobbying for the son of former MLA Chokkan son in same constituency. Similarly, Elangovan and Thangkabalu are vying for Gobichettypalayam constituency for their loyalists, added sources.
Elangovan and Thirunavukkarasu are trying to destroy party for their own gains. Elangovan is trying hard to get ticket for newcomer Khushbu, sidelining senior leaders — K S Govindarajan, INTUC