CHENNAI: In a surprise move, the BJP fielded its state president K Annamalai in Coimbatore constituency in the party’s first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections released on Thursday. Former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan will take on DMK’s Thamizhachi Thangapandian in the South Chennai seat.
Union Minister L Murugan has been pitted against DMK leader A Raja in Nilgiris. Interestingly, Murugan was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh only last month. Ex-union minister Pon Radhakrishnan will be the party candidate from Kanniyakumari, a seat he represented in 2014.
Just minutes after BJP’s legislature party leader Nainar Nagenthran was named as the party candidate from Thoothukudi, a revised list said he would be contesting from Tirunelveli. The BJP is contesting in 20 seats. Since four of the allies will also contest in the BJP symbol, the number of candidates contesting on ‘lotus’ will be 24.
The allies and the number of seats allotted to them are: PMK (10); TMC (3); AMMK (2); New Justice Party, Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Indiya Jananayaka Katchi, and Indiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam (1 each).
I am entering fray to prove our strength: Panneerselvam
In Chennai Central constituency, Vinoj P Selva, president of the state BJP’s youth wing, 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.
While New Justice Party leader AC Shanmugam will be contesting from Vellore, Indiya Jananayaka Katchi leader TR Paarivendhar, the incumbent MP, will contest from Perambalur.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who has been with the BJP for a long time, decided to contest from Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency as an Independent candidate but as part of the BJP-led alliance. Announcing this in a press conference, Panneerselvam said, “We have sought 15 seats in the BJP alliance. Since we could not get the ‘two leaves’ symbol as per our cadres wish, to prove our strength, I am contesting from Ramanathapuram.”
Asked, why did he decide to contest the Lok Sabha election while being an MLA, Panneerselvam said, “Instead of fielding a party worker, I thought I should contest to prove our strength.”
Questioned about the speculations that the BJP had denied the number of constituencies sought by him, Panneerselvam denied it saying the BJP had come forward to allot more seats. “But since there was a delay in getting the two leaves symbol, we have decided to contest in one seat to prove our strength. I have been given due recognition in the NDA.” Panneerslevam said senior leaders Amit Shah and BL Santhosh also spoke to him.
OPS enters fray in Ramanathapuram
Former CM and ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam has decided to contest from Ramanathapuram as an Independent candidate as part of the BJP alliance. “We had sought 15 seats in the BJP alliance. Since we could not get the ‘two leaves’ symbol as per our cadres wish, I am contesting from Ramanathapuram to prove our strength,” Panneerselvam said
Direct aiadmk-dmk fight in 19 seats
The AIADMK on Thursday released its final list of 16 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, setting a direct contest with the ruling DMK in 19 constituencies across TN. The AIADMK will contest in 32 segments and it has allotted seven constituencies to allies, the DMDK (5), Puthiya Tamizhagam (1) and SDPI (1) .