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Congress today announced candidates for 60 of the 63 constituencies it will contest in Tamil Nadu Assembly elections retaining a majority of the sitting MLAs and bringing in several members from the Youth Congress, including two of its top office bearers.
Former Union Minister and late MGR’s right—hand man S Thirunavukarasu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K V Thangkabalu’s wife Jayanthi, AICC secretary and Dalit leader K Jayakumar and S Peter Alphonse are some of the prominent members from the parent organisation who figure in the list.
Candidates for 3 other constituencies will be announced later.
Actor S Ve Shekar, who was elected from Mylapore, an AIADMK seat, and joined the Congress recently, has not got ticket.
Ms. Jothi Mani, Youth Congress General Secretary and Rahul Gandhi’s close aide, and Tamil Nadu Youth Congress chief M Yuvraj are some of the young faces in the list which has dropped only a couple of sitting MLAs. Mahendran, a Youth Congress National Secretary, will seek the mandate from Peravurani.
While Ms. Mani will contest from Karur, Mr. Yuvaraj will enter the fray from Erode West constituency which the party got after much persuasion from DMK whose strongman N K K P Raja, a former minister, shifted to a near—by seat.
Sources said these constituencies were specifically sought from DMK so that the Youth Congress leaders can be accommodated. Mr. Gandhi was very particular that there should be a considerable representation from the Youth wing in the list, the sources said.
This is for the first time in several decades that Congress will contest 63 seats in Tamil Nadu and this is probably the first time that so many Youth Congress have got a chance to fight the elections.
Majority of the sitting MLAs have been retained and most of the top leaders like Union Ministers P Chidambaram and G K Vasan and Thangkabalu have managed to get seats for their loyalists.
Mr. Thirunavukarasu, who was Union Minister of State for IT and Telecommunications during NDA rule and joined Congress two years ago, will seek the mandate from his stronghold of Aranthangi in Pudukottai district from where he had entered the Assembly nearly 10 times earlier.
Mr. Neethe Rajan, considered a loyalist of Mr. Chidambaram, will fight elections against DMDK chief actor Vijayakant in Virudachalam constituency.
Ms. Jayanthi, a political novice, will contest from Brahmin—dominated Mylapore in Chennai, while Mr. Jayakumar has shifted to Madhuranthagam on the outskirts of Chennai.
Mr. Alphonse will seek re—election from Kadayanallur, Mr. C Gnanasekaran from Vellore, Mr. Kovai Thangam from Valpaarai and Mr. K R Ramasamy will contest from Karaikudi.
Another Dalit leader D Yasodha will seek re-election from now re-drawn Sriperambudur constituency.
Other prominent candidates are M K Vishnuprasad from Cheyyar near Chennai, former Youth Congress chief Mayura S Jayakumar (Singanallur) and Royapuram Mano (Royapuram) in Chennai.
Former MP E Anbarasu’s son Arul will seek reelection from Sholingur in Vellor district.
Selva Peruthangai, who quit the VCK to join Congress a couple of years ago, will contest from Chengam while A Chellakumar, a two—time MLA from Thyagaraya Nagar in Chennai, will seek re—election after a gap of ten years from the same seat.
At least six women have been given tickets including Gayathri Devi, D Yashodha, Haseena Syed, Jothi Mani and S Vijayadharani apart from Jayanthi. Giving a seat to Thangkabalu’s wife has led to resentment among partymen in the State.
Congress has remained out of power in the state for the past four decades and has been generally contesting the polls as an ally of Dravidian parties DMK or AIADMK.
Some two decades ago, Congress’ attempt to go solo to usher in Kamraj rule had turned a flop.
Following is the Congress list of candidates for Tamil Nadu:
T L Sadhasivalingam (Tiruttani)
R Demodharan (Avadi)
Dr C Natesan (Thiru—Vi—Ka—Nagar—SC)
R Manohar (Royapuram)
V K Arivalagan (Anna Nagar)
Dr A Chellakumar (Thiyagarayanagar)
Jayanthi Thangabalu (Mylapore)
Dr Gayathri Devi (Alandur)
D Yasodha (Sriperumbudur — SC)
Dr K Jayakkumar (Madurantakam — SC)
Arul Anbarasu (Sholingur)
C Gnanasekaran (Vellore)
J Vijay Elanchezhiyan ( Ambur)
Haseena Syed (Krishnagiri)
K Gopinath (Hosur)
S Selva Perunthagai (Chengam— SC)
P S Vijayakumar (Kalasapakkam)
Dr M K Vishnuprasath (Cheyyar)
S Sivaraj (Rishivandiyam)
S K Arthanari (Attur— SC)
G Jayaprakash ( Selem—North)
M R Sundaram (Tiruchengodu)
M Yuvaraj (Erode—West)
R M Palanisamy (Modakkurichi)
Vidiyal S Sekar (Kangayam)
R Ganesh (Udhagamandalam)
A R Natarajan ( Avanashi — SC)
M N Kandasamy (Thondamuthur)
Mayura Jayakumar (Singanallur)
Kovai Thangam (Valparai—SC)]
S T Rajangam (Nilakkottai—SC)
Former Union Minister and late MGR’s right—hand man S Thirunavukarasu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K V Thangkabalu’s wife Jayanthi, AICC secretary and Dalit leader K Jayakumar and S Peter Alphonse are some of the prominent members from the parent organisation who figure in the list.
Candidates for 3 other constituencies will be announced later.
Actor S Ve Shekar, who was elected from Mylapore, an AIADMK seat, and joined the Congress recently, has not got ticket.
Ms. Jothi Mani, Youth Congress General Secretary and Rahul Gandhi’s close aide, and Tamil Nadu Youth Congress chief M Yuvraj are some of the young faces in the list which has dropped only a couple of sitting MLAs. Mahendran, a Youth Congress National Secretary, will seek the mandate from Peravurani.
While Ms. Mani will contest from Karur, Mr. Yuvaraj will enter the fray from Erode West constituency which the party got after much persuasion from DMK whose strongman N K K P Raja, a former minister, shifted to a near—by seat.
Sources said these constituencies were specifically sought from DMK so that the Youth Congress leaders can be accommodated. Mr. Gandhi was very particular that there should be a considerable representation from the Youth wing in the list, the sources said.
This is for the first time in several decades that Congress will contest 63 seats in Tamil Nadu and this is probably the first time that so many Youth Congress have got a chance to fight the elections.
Majority of the sitting MLAs have been retained and most of the top leaders like Union Ministers P Chidambaram and G K Vasan and Thangkabalu have managed to get seats for their loyalists.
Mr. Thirunavukarasu, who was Union Minister of State for IT and Telecommunications during NDA rule and joined Congress two years ago, will seek the mandate from his stronghold of Aranthangi in Pudukottai district from where he had entered the Assembly nearly 10 times earlier.
Mr. Neethe Rajan, considered a loyalist of Mr. Chidambaram, will fight elections against DMDK chief actor Vijayakant in Virudachalam constituency.
Ms. Jayanthi, a political novice, will contest from Brahmin—dominated Mylapore in Chennai, while Mr. Jayakumar has shifted to Madhuranthagam on the outskirts of Chennai.
Mr. Alphonse will seek re—election from Kadayanallur, Mr. C Gnanasekaran from Vellore, Mr. Kovai Thangam from Valpaarai and Mr. K R Ramasamy will contest from Karaikudi.
Another Dalit leader D Yasodha will seek re-election from now re-drawn Sriperambudur constituency.
Other prominent candidates are M K Vishnuprasad from Cheyyar near Chennai, former Youth Congress chief Mayura S Jayakumar (Singanallur) and Royapuram Mano (Royapuram) in Chennai.
Former MP E Anbarasu’s son Arul will seek reelection from Sholingur in Vellor district.
Selva Peruthangai, who quit the VCK to join Congress a couple of years ago, will contest from Chengam while A Chellakumar, a two—time MLA from Thyagaraya Nagar in Chennai, will seek re—election after a gap of ten years from the same seat.
At least six women have been given tickets including Gayathri Devi, D Yashodha, Haseena Syed, Jothi Mani and S Vijayadharani apart from Jayanthi. Giving a seat to Thangkabalu’s wife has led to resentment among partymen in the State.
Congress has remained out of power in the state for the past four decades and has been generally contesting the polls as an ally of Dravidian parties DMK or AIADMK.
Some two decades ago, Congress’ attempt to go solo to usher in Kamraj rule had turned a flop.
Following is the Congress list of candidates for Tamil Nadu:
T L Sadhasivalingam (Tiruttani)
R Demodharan (Avadi)
Dr C Natesan (Thiru—Vi—Ka—Nagar—SC)
R Manohar (Royapuram)
V K Arivalagan (Anna Nagar)
Dr A Chellakumar (Thiyagarayanagar)
Jayanthi Thangabalu (Mylapore)
Dr Gayathri Devi (Alandur)
D Yasodha (Sriperumbudur — SC)
Dr K Jayakkumar (Madurantakam — SC)
Arul Anbarasu (Sholingur)
C Gnanasekaran (Vellore)
J Vijay Elanchezhiyan ( Ambur)
Haseena Syed (Krishnagiri)
K Gopinath (Hosur)
S Selva Perunthagai (Chengam— SC)
P S Vijayakumar (Kalasapakkam)
Dr M K Vishnuprasath (Cheyyar)
S Sivaraj (Rishivandiyam)
S K Arthanari (Attur— SC)
G Jayaprakash ( Selem—North)
M R Sundaram (Tiruchengodu)
M Yuvaraj (Erode—West)
R M Palanisamy (Modakkurichi)
Vidiyal S Sekar (Kangayam)
R Ganesh (Udhagamandalam)
A R Natarajan ( Avanashi — SC)
M N Kandasamy (Thondamuthur)
Mayura Jayakumar (Singanallur)
Kovai Thangam (Valparai—SC)]
S T Rajangam (Nilakkottai—SC)