Tamil Nadu saw 77 people, including five women filing their nomination papers for the May 16 Assembly elections when the doors of the offices of the Returning Officers were opened on Friday.
One of the first candidates to file the nomination on Friday was K Padmarajan, known as the ‘Election King’, who submitted his papers from Mettur in Salem district. "This is my 173rd election and I am rushing to Ulundurpet to file a nomination paper against Vijayakant, the chief ministerial candidate of the PWF," said Padmarajan who is also described as a ‘Serial loser’.
With the filing of nomination papers at Ulundurpet, Padmarajan's record will go up to 174. Candidates belonging to major parties, including the rationalist DMK are expected to file nomination papers only by April 25, as it is considered an auspicious day.
In Chennai, an independent candidate Kandasamy, put the election officials in trouble as he brought the nomination fee of `10,000/ in coins. Officials of the returning office at Villivakkam had a tough time while counting the coins which Kandasami brought in a silk cloth.
Elsewhere in Chennai, the scorching heat forced the candidates who were campaigning out in the open run helter- skelter. Some of the candidates like M Subramaniam of the DMK who is fighting from Saidapet who had planned for the day escaped the fury of the heat. Subramaniam starts his campaign as early as 5.30 in the morning and winds up the morning session by 10 am as the heat sets in. He resumes his outdoor campaign after 5 pm when the mercury comes down to bearable temperature.
Opposition parties including the BJP have come out openly demanding action against the AIADMK leadership for the death of five persons due to sun stroke during the campaign rallies addressed by Chief Minister and party chief J Jayalalithaa. "It is a criminal negligence and case should be registered against Jayalalithaa and others," said E V K S Elangovan, TNCC president. Jayalalithaa has expressed grief over the deaths and has written personally to the close relations of the victims, according to a spokesperson of the AIADMK.
Jayalalithaa's e;ection rallies are held between 3 pm and 5 pm because she is using a helicopter for campaigning. She has to return to Chennai before sunset because choppers are not allowed to fly after 6 pm.
Though the election process for the assembly election began on Friday, all parties are shuffling and reshuffling candidates in various constituencies. While the AIADMK has effected 23 changes in the list of candidates, the DMK was forced to change six candidates because of revolt by a section of the party cadre.
M K Stalin, the DMK's Chief Minister- in- waiting, is the only prominent figure who is seen outdoor campaigning for party candidates. Stalin, spotting a new hair style as well as designer attire as per the sirectives of son-in-law Sabari was seen campaigning in a spirited manner despite the scorching heat of Vellore.
He spent considerable time with women explaining the changes to be ushered in by the DMK government if the party was voted to power. Stalin, like his nonagenarian father Karunanidhi, has special affection for women voters with whom he finds enough time to exchange pleasantries.