4,610 candidates in fray for Tamil Nadu’s 234 seats

As many as 4,610 candidates are in fray in the high-stakes battle for 234 Assembly constituencies in the April 23 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu following scrutiny.

A total of 529 candidates withdrew from the race, the election commission said on Friday. A total of 7,599 candidates, including independents, filed their nomination papers, and 2,460 of them were rejected.

In the Kolathur constituency in Chennai, where Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin is contesting, the EC has accepted the nominations of 41 candidates, and in Chepuak-Thiruvallikeni constituency, from where Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is contesting for the second consecutive term, 26 candidates are in the fray.

In the Edappadi constituency from where AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is contesting, 15 persons are in the fray.

The nominations of 47 candidates have been accepted in the Perambur seat in Chennai, and 27 candidates are in the fray in Tiruchirappalli East. Actor-politician Vijay is contesting in both constituencies in his electoral debut.

Karur, where a stampede in TVK chief Vijay’s rally on September 27 last year claimed the lives of 41 people, has the highest number of contenders with 85 candidates in the poll fray. Ambasamudram has the lowest number of contestants with five in the fray, according to the EC website.

The deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on April 9. The DMK is making hectic efforts to retain power, seeking a second term in office, while AIADMK chief Palaniswami, who is the lone star campaigner for his party, is determined to stage a comeback after being in the Opposition for five years.

Union Minister L Murugan is contesting from Avanasi (SC), and BJP leader and former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has been fielded from Mylapore constituency in Chennai.

Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is contesting from his home constituency of Bodinayakanur on DMK ticket, while TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai is in the fray in Sriperumbudur (SC) constituency.