AIADMK to contest 32 seats; fields mostly new faces
The AIADMK, which has named its candidates in 32 constituencies for the Lok Sabha poll, has largely preferred new faces over established personalities.
There are a handful of known figures, including R. Kumaraguru (Kallakurichi); J. Jayavardhan (South Chennai); P. Saravanan (Madurai); Royapuram R. Mano or R. Manohar (North Chennai); Shimla Muthuchozhan (Tirunelveli); and Singai G. Ramachandran (Coimbatore).
Of the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, the Dravidian major will contest 32 seats, leaving five seats to its ally, the DMDK, and one each to Puthiya Tamilagam and the Social Democratic Party of India.
A threetime legislator, Mr. Kumaraguru defeated late DMDK leader ‘Captain’ Vijayakant in Ulundurpet in the 2016 Assembly poll. Dr. Jayavardhan was elected from the South Chennai Lok Sabha constituency 10 years ago. He is one of the three representatives of the fishermen community put up by the party in the State and in Puducherry, the other two being Basiliyan Nazareth (Kanniyakumari) and G. Tamilvendan (Puducherry).
Dr. Saravanan was elected on a DMK ticket from Tiruparankundram Assembly constituency in the 2019 byelection. Ms. Muthuchozhan, the only woman nominee of the AIADMK, is the daughterinlaw of former DMK Minister S.P. Sarguna Pandian. In the 2016 Assembly election, she contested unsuccessfully against Jayalalithaa in R.K. Nagar, and joined the AIADMK recently.
Mr. Ramachandran, the party’s IT wing head, is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, and the son of former AIADMK MLA Singai Govindarasu. Mr. Mano, who had a long stint in the Congress, joined the AIADMK in November 2020. Besides, Atral Ashokkumar, the party’s candidate for Erode, is the soninlaw of BJP’s MLA for Modakurichi, Saraswathi.
The list included nominees for five seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SC) E. Rajasekar (Kancheepuram); J. Bagyaraj (Villupuram); M. Chandrakasan (Chidambaram); G. Sursit Sankar (Nagapattinam); and D. Lokesh Tamilselvan (the Nilgiris). The last candidate, the son of former Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, runs a computer firm in Salem.
The other candidates are A.L. Vijayan Arakkonam; V. Jayaprakash
C.Krishnagiri; G.V. Gajendran Arani; P. Vignesh Salem; K.R.L. Thangavel Karur; S. Tamilmani Namakkal; V.T. Narayanasamy Theni; P. Jayaperumal Ramanathapuram; G. Premkumar Sriperumbudur; S. Pasupathi Vellore; R. Asokan Dharmapuri; M. Kaliyaperumal Tiruvannamalai; P. Arunachalam Tiruppur; Karthik Appusamy, alias A. Karthikeyan Pollachi; P. Karuppiah Tiruchi; N.D. Chandramohan Perambalur; P. Babu Mayiladuthurai; Panagudi A. Xavierdoss Sivaganga; and R. Sivasami Velumani Thoothukudi.
For the Vilavancode Assembly bypoll, the party has nominated U. Rani, the women’s wing deputy secretary.
EPS justifies selection
Mr. Palaniswami justified the selection of mostly newcomers. “What is wrong with that?” he retorted, when a journalist pointed out that the list contained the names of lesserknown faces.
When asked why juniors were preferred over seniors, he said there was no “seniorjunior” status in politics.
He recalled that Jayalalithaa had given him opportunities to serve the party when he was a branch secretary. The ability to win, loyalty to the organisation, hard work and service to people were the factors considered while choosing the nominees, he said.
On the issue of having fielded only one woman, Mr. Palaniswami pointed out that Tirunelveli had been given to a woman candidate. “Ours is a party that gives preference to women,” Mr. Palaniswami said.
Also, on not fielding Muslims, he said that one seat had been given to the Social Democratic Party of India. Moreover, his party believed in the concept, “All are equal”, he said.
On the search by the Enforcement Directorate at the residence of former Minister C. Vijayabaskar, the AIADMK leader said it would be dealt with legally.