TIRUCHY: The DMK has fielded its own candidates on the 'Rising Sun' symbol against 24 of the 27 AIADMK ministers, who are seeking re-election in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Following the completion of seat-sharing talks, the DMK on Friday morning announced its list of 173 candidates for the polls. A closer look at the seats to be contested by the DMK reveal that the Dravidian party has chosen to square off its own candidates against the current AIADMK ministers in all but three constituencies. In those three constituencies, seats have been allocated to its alliance partners, namely Congress in Udumalaipettai and the CPM in Kovilpatti and Dindigul.
This apparently deliberate selection has created a buzz in political circles, as the party’s president MK Stalin had made it clear on the campaign trail that DMK candidates should face-off directly against the ruling party’s ministers. It is also to be noted that the DMK, in the run-up to the assembly elections, conducted its Makkal Grama Sabha meetings in most of the ministers’ constituencies.
At this juncture, the selection of candidates has drawn a mixed response from party cadres in the central districts as AIADMK workers opined that in a few of the contests, the ministers would have a cakewalk as DMK has fielded first-timers. For instance, AIADMK cadres pointed out, the DMK has fielded Jothi Raman, a fresher, against Food Minister R Kamaraj in Nannilam.
Similarly, in Tiruchy East, DMK has fielded Inigo Irudayaraj, founder of the Christhuva Nallenna Iyakkam, on the rising sun symbol against Tourism Minister Vellamandi N Natarajan.
“Our ministers have put in so much groundwork and have worked well during their tenure. The DMK fears defeat at the ministers' constituencies, so they are trying some gimmicks. But this will not work, the AIADMK party and its ministers will secure a massive victory in the election," an AIADMK functionary claimed.
However, Health and Transport ministers C Vijayabaskar and MR Vijayabaskar are expected to face a tough contest in Viralimalai and Karur respectively. In Karur, the DMK has fielded former minister Senthil Balaji while in Viralimalai it has fielded local heavyweight Palaniappan.