Heat on, over 300 file papers on ‘Holi’ day
An ‘auspicious’ day packed with festivals, including Holi, the day saw more than 300 aspirants – from the ruling DMK, opposition AIADMK, BJP, Naam Thamizhar Katchi and independents – filing nominations.
DMK leader and candidate for Sriperumbudur constituency, TR Baalu, offers prayers at a temple near Chengalpattu taluk office on Monday
CHENNAI: With just two days left for nominations to close, all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu wore a festive look on Monday with candidates cutting across party lines queuing up at nomination filing centres. An ‘auspicious’ day packed with festivals, including Holi, the day saw more than 300 aspirants – from the ruling DMK, opposition AIADMK, BJP, Naam Thamizhar Katchi and independents – filing nominations.
Among those who filed their papers were sitting MPs Kathir Anand from Vellore, VCK leader Ravikumar (Villuppuram-Reserve), senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga), besides ousted AIADMK leader O Paneerselvam from Ramanathapuram, among others.
The filing of nominations witnessed some minor skirmishes, jostling and heated arguments between the cadres of the two Dravidian majors, the DMK and the AIADMK, while police resorted to a mild lathicharge in the Nilgiris, where Union Minister and BJP leader L Murugan filed his papers. There were heated arguments in North Chennai where the supporters of AIADMK candidate Royapuram Mano objected to the alleged jumping of the queue by minister PK Sekar Babu who had come along with DMK candidate Kalanidhi Veerasami.
However, officials pacified them and the AIADMK candidate filed his papers, followed by the DMK nominee. Since Paul Kanagaraj has been waiting for a long time to file his papers, the BJP workers picked up an argument with the police citing the delay.
The day also witnessed camaraderie and bonhomie between the DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian and former Telangana Governor and BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan in South Chennai. After a warm hug, both of them, despite having politically different ideologies, exchanged pleasantries and greeted each other.
Newcomers to the poll arena, including PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss’ daughter-in-law Sowmya Anbumani, late actor-politician and DMDK founder Vijayakanth’s son Vijaya Prabhakaran and actor Sarathkumar wife Radhika Sarathkumar, also filed their papers from Dharmapuri and Virudhunagar respectively.
With March 27 being the last date, more candidates are expected to file their papers in the next two days. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 28 while the last date for withdrawals is March 30.
