Despite carrying the 2G taint, former Telecom Minister A Raja was renominated, while rebel son, M K Alagiri, continued to remain out of favour as neither he nor his loyalists found a place in the DMK’s list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls released by party patriarch M Karunanidhi on Monday.
The list had 27 new faces, including two women. While renominating eight of the sitting MPs, the party denied ticket to 10 of them, including Alagiri, the suspended south zone organising secretary. The octogenarian also announced that the party’s manifesto will be released on Tuesday. The ruling AIADMK and its arch rival DMK are pitted against each other in 35 LS constituencies. Further, for the first time, both the parties are contesting the maximum number of seats for the Lower House.
In the list, there are 13 lawyers, three doctors, one engineering diploma holder, eight post-graduates and seven graduates. Releasing the list at the party headquarters, Karunanidhi said there could be some changes in it, indicating that he was expecting the Left parties’ entry into the DMK-led group.
However, the Left joining hands with the DMK has been ruled out as the CPM had already vetoed it. The CPI too followed suit on Monday evening with stalwart Sudhakar Reddy saying his party too would go it alone in the LS elections. In some constituencies, the CPI would contest in alliance with the CPM, Reddy added.
Asked about the renomination of Raja, facing trial in the 2G spectrum case, Karunanidhi said “there is no evidence against Raja in this case”.
Former Union minister T R Baalu has been shifted to Thanjavur from Sriperumbudur, held by him in 2009. Sitting MP from Thanjavur, S S Palanimanickam, has been denied the ticket. In protest, his followers burnt effigies of Baalu in Thanjavur.
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