CHENNAI: With all key parties announcing their candidates, Chennai, the state capital, has emerged as the epicentre of the high-stakes political contest, with two chief ministerial aspirants, a deputy chief minister and prominent leaders in the fray.
Though Chennai has long been considered a DMK stronghold, the TVK has decided to field most of its heavyweight candidates from the city. The DMK will contest 15 constituencies in Chennai, while the AIADMK will contest 13. Of these, 12 constituencies are set to witness direct contests between the two Dravidian majors.
In Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Porkodi, wife of slain BSP state president K Armstrong and founder of the Tamil Maanila Bahujan Samaj Katchi, will contest against DMK’s KS Ravichandran on the AIADMK’s ‘Two Leaves’ symbol. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK had won all 15 constituencies it contested in Chennai, while its ally Congress secured one seat in the city.
This time, Chief Minister MK Stalin is seeking a fourth consecutive term from Kolathur. TVK president C Joseph Vijay is contesting from Perambur and Tiruchy East, while Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is seeking re-election from Chepauk-Triplicane. While it was expected that AIADMK would field one of its stronger candidates against MK Stalin, the party chose to field former councillor P Santhanakrishnan in Kolathur.
Santhanakrishnan is in the real estate business and unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from the Chennai North parliamentary constituency. The TVK has fielded former AIADMK MLA VS Babu, who is well known in this area and who joined the party recently, against Stalin.
In Perambur, the DMK has fielded two-time MLA RD Sekar against Vijay, while the NTK has given the ticket to Vetrithamizhan. The PMK, an ally of the AIADMK, is yet to announce its candidate for the constituency.
In Harbour, AIADMK’s Royapuram R Mano will take on DMK heavyweight and HR&CE Minister P K Sekarbabu. Other constituencies where the AIADMK is contesting in Chennai include Thousand Lights, Anna Nagar, Virugambakkam, T Nagar, Velachery, R K Nagar, Villivakkam and Egmore.
AIADMK senior leader Adhi Rajaram, who contested against Stalin in Kolathur in 2021, will now face Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chepauk-Triplicane.
The TVK has also fielded key functionaries in Chennai including general secretary N Anand (T Nagar), general secretary (election management) Aadhav Arjuna (Villivakkam), and deputy general secretary K Rajamohan (Egmore).
Cakewalk for CM?
While it was expected that AIADMK would field one of its strong candidates against Chief Minister MK Stalin, it has fielded former councillor P Santhanakrishnan in Kolathur constituency