CHENNAI: The AIADMK is set to announce senior leader M Thambidurai and Anbumani Ramadoss, president of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
The notification for the Rajya Sabha elections was issued on February 18th and nomination for the election has been started from February 26 as per the schedule and last date to file nominations by March 5.
Based on its current strength in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the AIADMK could secure two Rajya Sabha seats.
Of the two seats, one has been allotted to alliance partner PMK, where Anbumani Ramadoss has set to contest. The other candidate from the AIADMK is expected to be former minister and former loksabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who is currently serving as a Member of Parliament.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the AIADMK won 66 seats. However, several party MLAs including O Panneerselvam, Manoj Pandian, Vaithilingam, Ayyappan and Sengottaiyan were resigned from their posts after they joined DMK. Additionally, Valparai MLA Amul Kandasamy passed away.
As a result, the AIADMK's current strength of MLA's in the Assembly stands at 60
The party is also expected to receive the support of its alliance partners, with three MLAs from the PMK and four MLAs from the BJP hopefully backing the AIADMK candidates. This would give the AIADMK led alliance a total of 66 votes in the Rajya Sabha election.
With this strength, the AIADMK is set to send two members to the Rajya Sabha