THENI/DINDIGUL: As many as 34 candidates, including DMK's Thanga Tamilselvan and BJP-led AMMK's TTV Dhinakaran, filed their nominations for the Lok Sabha election with Returning Officer RV Shajeevana on Wednesday. In total, 43 candidates filed their nomination for Theni seat.In the presence of Ministers I Periyasamy, P Moorthy, and Cumbum MLA N Eramakrishnan, Tamilselvan filed his nomination, and declared the total value of his assets as Rs 2,75,09,963, including movable asset of Rs 32,50,697 and immovable asset of Rs 2,42,59,266, in the affidavit. His wife Pandiammal's total asset value is Rs 2,05,48,809, including Rs 54,76,624 worth movable assets and Rs 1,50,72,185 worth of immovable assets. Both don't have any liabilities.
In the presence of sitting Theni MP P Rabindranath Kumar, AMMK's Dhinakaran filed his nomination. Although former chief minister O Panneerselvam accompanied him, only four people including the candidate were allowed inside. Hence, Panneerselvam waited in the collectorate campus. Dhinakaran declared that the total value of his assets stand at Rs 77,26,981, including movable assets of Rs 19,82,973 and immovable assets of Rs 57,44,008. His wife Anuradha has a total asset value of Rs 41,18,04,825, including Rs 1,69,25,118 for movable assets and Rs 2,48,79,707 worth of immovable assets. Dhinakaran owes Rs 28 crore to the central government as penalty under the FERA (Foreign Exchange and Securities Regulation Act).
Other candidates who filed their nomination include Mudiyarasu from the All India Youth Development, P Charchil Durai of Humanities for Peace party, and independent candidates Arivarasupandian, K Revathi, K Vijayan, P Prakash, OV Thiagarajan, G Sethupathi, S Ajeethkumar, A Satheesh Kumar, S Paramasivan, S Pandikumar, G Parthiban, Vasantha Saravanan, Narayanasamy, Richard, Muthukumar, V Chokkalingam, Kumar, R Harikrishnakumar, and Surulimuthu.
In Dindigul, 14 candidates filed their nominations with Returning Officer MN Poongodi on the last day. A total of 26 candidates have filed their nominations so far. These include NTK candidate Sengannan and Indian Republic party candidate B Selvam. Election Observer Prabhuling Kavalikatti witnessed the filing of affidavits, inspected election control room, and verified records maintained in the control room. He also verified the complaints received by the control room regarding election violations.
Interestingly, an independent candidate named S Prema, claiming to be CM J Jayalalithaa's daughter, fashioned her saree like the late leader and filed her nomination. While addressing reporters, she said that those who were raised by Jayalalithaa are the ones who betrayed AIADMK. She further claimed that she filed her nomination from Jayalalithaa's favourite constituency.