CHENNAI: Dissatisfaction over the allocation of seats and nomination of candidates has reared its head across parties ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with AIADMK and DMK workers staging demonstrations in many places, while a senior functionary of the PMK has quit the party.
AIADMK workers in Poonamallee and Vriddhachalam staged a road roko protesting the allocation of the constituencies to the PMK. In Poonamallee, the road roko lasted for around two hours and the traffic was affected for about six kilometres in and around the area, causing hardships to office-goers. They urged the AIADMK leadership to retain the constituency for the party.
At Vriddhachalam, supporters of sitting MLA Kalaiselvan staged a demonstration and later blocked the road demanding party tickets for him again.
Meanwhile, AIADMK workers also staged a road roko on Sithamur Koottu Road protesting against the nomination of Kanitha Sampath for Cheyyur constituency in Kancheepuram district. In addition, AIADMK workers staged demonstrations on the Chennai-Trichy National Highway against the nomination of Gajendran in the Chengalpattu constituency.
At Perundurai, former Minister and sitting MLA ND Venkatachalam openly expressed his displeasure over the party's decision not to renominate him for the ensuing elections at a press conference.
Meanwhile, K Vaithi, a PMK functionary who is also an office bearer of the Vanniyar Sangam, has quit the party and Sangam following the nomination of advocate K Balu as the party's candidate for Jayankondam constituency.
In Chennai, AIADMK workers from Egmore constituency staged protests at the AIADMK headquarters here protesting against its allocation to John Pandian's Thamizhaga Munnetra Kazhagam.
On Kattumavadi Road in Pudukottai district, DMK workers staged agitations protesting the party's decision to allocate Aranthangi constituency to the Congress. A DMK worker attempted self-immolation during the agitation but the bid was thwarted by other partymen and police personnel.
At Palladam in Tirupur district, AIADMK workers staged protests for the second day on Thursday against the party's decision to nominate former Minister MSM Anandan ignoring the sitting MLA Karaipudur Natarajan.
At the DMK headquarters of Anna Arivalayam, party workers raised slogans against allocating the Ponneri constituency to the Congress.