DMK list reflects Stalin’s rise

Setting up a direct fight with the AIADMK in 169 constituencies, the DMK on Wednesday released its list of candidates for 173 seats. About half the constituencies have gone to new faces, indicating the rise of party treasurer M.K. Stalin’s brigade.

As expected, Mr Stalin will fight from his Kolathur seat, while dad Karunanidhi will contest from Tiruvarur again. The DMK has given seats to 19 women, just 10 per cent of the total candidates.

With six of the party’s allies, including dissident DMDK MLAs contesting under the DMK “rising sun” symbol, a number of candidates under that symbol will be in the fray for 179 seats. This is the highest number of seats the DMK is contesting after the 2001 Assembly elections, when it fought in 183 constituencies.

The prominent faces who have got party tickets include party principal secretary K. Duraimurugan, former ministers I. Periyasamy, K. Ponmudy, K.N. Nehru, Thangam Thennarasu, A.V. Velu. K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran and M.R.K. Panneerselvam, besides former Speaker R. Avudaippan and former deputy speaker V.P. Duraisamy.

Other former ministers who have been nominated again are K.P.P. Samy, D.M. Anbarasan, K. Pichandi, M.P. Swaminathan, U. Madhivanan, Durai Chandrasekaran, K.R. Periyakaruppan, P. Geetha Jeevan, Poongothai and N. Sureshrajan. Former mayor M. Subramanian has been fielded in Saidapet, while actor Vaagai Chandrasekar will be in the race from Velachery.

Former AIADMK ministers S. Muthusamy and Anitha Radhakrishnan have found places in the list, while R. Masilamani, who crossed over from the MDMK, has been given a seat too. All other defectors from the MDMK and their relatives have been ignored.

Surprise omissions include former minister N. Palanichamy, R.S. Bharathi and E. Sugavanam while party general secretary K. Anbazhagan had declined to contest. A little-known face, Simla Muthu Cholan, has been fielded from R.K. Nagar where chief minister J. Jayalalithaa is contesting.

In Chennai, a lesser-known face, K.S. Ravichandran, has been preferred over spokesperson Thamizhan Prasanna. Former AIADMK MLA P.K. Sekarbabu has been fielded in Harbour, while Ku.Ka. Selvam will take on minister Valarmathi. In Anna Nagar, where minister Gokula Indira is in the fray, a new face, M.K. Mohan, will contest.

Most of the new faces are from the northern region, especially Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Vellore and Salem where the party fared poorly in the 2011 Assembly elections. Fresh candidates have been fielded from Kongu belt, where the DMK finished third in three Parliament seats in the 2014 elections.

Mahesh Poyyamozhi, a close friend of Udhayanidhi Stalin, will make his debut from Tiruverumbur constituency in Trichy district.