Following a wave of resentment from the party cadre over the choice of candidate for Cuddalore constituency, DMDK chief Vijayakant has changed the candidate on Thursday.
The Managing Director of Jayapriya groups, CR Jayashankar has been announced the new candidate. Three months ago, PMK announced R Govindhasamy as the party’s candidate before joining the NDA, but later, it held talks with the BJP and joined the alliance.
However, in the seat-sharing agreement, Cuddalore constituency had been allotted to DMDK, which is also a constituent of the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu.
PMK’s Govidhasamy withdrew from the fray and DMDK leader Vijayakant announced R Ramanujam as the candidate for Cuddalore. But, a section of the DMDK cadre were dissatisfied over this decision.
They said, “Though Ramanujam is the native of Pennadam in Cuddalore, he settled in Chennai several years. So he is not a familiar person for the party cadre and also for the public.” Jayashankar (43) is the son of C Rajagopalan, who is the chairman of Jayapriya groups that runs a Chit Funds Company, theatre, petrol pumping station, hotel, construction and real estate.
Jayashankar is an MBA graduate and native of Neyveli. DMDK district secretary and Panruti MLA Sivakozundhu said, “As the new candidate has been announced, Captain will come to Cuddalore for campaign on some other day.”