Karunanidhi, Stalin pick new constituencies
March 17th, 2011 - 9:19 pm ICT by IANSChennai, March 17 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK Thursday named its 119 candidates for upcoming assembly elections, with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his son and Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin opting for new constituencies.
The DMK will field 58 new faces in the April 13 elections.
Karunanidhi will contest from Tiruvarur, near Thanjavur district, while Stalin — who may well be the new chief minister if the DMK alliance again wins — is the DMK nominee in Kolathur in north Chennai.
Karunanidhi and Stalin were elected from Chepauk and Thousand Lights constituencies in Chennai in 2006.
Karunanidhi, one of India’s most veteran politicians, explained why he had chosen a new battlefield.
He said he had wanted to contest from Tiruvarur when he fought his first elections. But he could not do so because at that time it was reserved for Dalits.
DMK’s critics, however, said both Karunanidhi and Stalin had opted for newer — and safer — constituencies because of what is believed to be the middle class anger against the DMK over corruption allegations.
Karunanidhi said two veteran DMK leaders and senior ministers, Arcot N. Veerasamy and Ko.Si. Mani, had been rested owing to poor health.
He said the candidates included 11 women, 70 graduates, 27 post graduates, three doctors and 26 lawyers.
The DMK chief will start the party’s campaign March 23 at Tiruvarur — and file his nomination the next day.
He said the DMK was winning a majority in the 234-member house.
According to Karunanidhi, around 15,000 people were interviewed before the party decided to pick the 119 candidates.
The DMK is contesting the election in alliance with the Congress, PMK and smaller parties.
- Tamil Nadu polls: Karunanidhi to contest from Tiruvarur - Mar 17, 2011
- Counting at Stalin's constituency starts again - May 13, 2011
- War of words as Tamil Nadu sees brisk voting (Third Lead) - Apr 13, 2011
- Karunanidhi wins, son Stalin trails - May 13, 2011
- Dravidian land all set for battle for power (Curtain Raiser) - Apr 11, 2011
- Stalin detained, DMK protests across Tamil Nadu (Lead) - Jul 30, 2011
- Stalin wins from Kolathur - May 14, 2011
- 70 million hold key in three states Wednesday (Curtain Raiser) - Apr 12, 2011
- Millions vote in Tamil Nadu -- amid bribery charges (Second Intro Roundup) - Apr 14, 2011
- Millions vote in Tamil Nadu -- amid corruption shadow (Roundup) - Apr 13, 2011
- Millions vote in Tamil Nadu -- amid bribery charges (Intro Roundup) - Apr 13, 2011
- Karunanidhi, Jayalalithaa lead - May 13, 2011
- Campaigning ends in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry - Apr 11, 2011
- DMK, Congress to conclude talks on identification of seats - Mar 11, 2011
- 3,082 nominations found valid in Tamil Nadu - Mar 29, 2011
Tags: assembly elections, battlefield, campaign march, constituencies, corruption allegations, deputy chief minister, dmk chief, graduates, m karunanidhi, march 17, middle class, new faces, nomination, pmk, poor health, stalin, tamil nadu, tiruvarur, veerasamy, veteran politicians