CHENNAI: The BJP has released its first list of nine candidates in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha elections. BJP State president K Annamalai will be contesting from Coimbatore while former governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundararajan will be contesting from Chennai South as expected.
Interestingly, Union Minister L Murugan has been pitted against former Union Minister and DMK candidate A Raja in the Nilgiris Constituency. It can be recalled that Murugan was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh only a month ago.
Incumbent Tirunelveli MLA and BJP’s legislative party leader Nainar Nagendran has been fielded in Tirunelveli constituency. DMK, which won the constituency in 2019, has allotted it this time to the Congress.
The list released by the BJP on Thursday evening said Nainar would contest from Thoothukudi, to the surprise of many. Within 30 mins, the party released a revised list, stating that he will contest from Tirunelveli.
The BJP has fielded former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan in Kanyakumari constituency. In Chennai Central constituency, Vinoj P Selvam will be taking on DMK candidate Dayanidhi Maran. Krishnagiri constituency has been allocated to C Narasimhan, spokesperson of the BJP state unit and former MP.
The BJP had said that, apart from 20 constituencies where the party is contesting, its allies will contest in four constituencies in the party’s Lotus symbol. This included New Justice Party leader AC Shanmugam, who will be contesting from the Vellore constituency and Indiya Jananayaka Katchi leader TR Paarivendhar, who will contest from Perambalur.
