Congress LS candidates list in state set to throw up surprises

CHENNAI: Lobbying has started in the state Congress for MP tickets after it managed to retain all but three sitting seats in the final round of negotiation with the DMK on Monday.

If sources in the state Congress are to be believed, sitting MPs S Jothimani (Karur), Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga) and Manickam Tagore (Virudhunagar) are likely to retain their seats. While veteran Su Thirunavukkarasar, who lost his Tiruchy seat to Vaiko’s MDMK, has thrown in his hat for Mayiladuthurai seat where Mahila Congress functionary Haseena Syed, a member of its think tank, Praveen Chakravarthy and one ‘Pattukottai’ Rajendran are also vying for a ticket.

Former IAS officer and a member of the Congress war room Sasikanth Senthil is said to be the favorite for Tiruvallur seat. The big surprise in Congress candidate list could come from the land’s end where incumbent MP Vijay Vasanth is also being considered for Tirunelveli.

Highly placed Congress sources disclosed that the LS ticket for Vijay Vasanth was a done deal, but the AICC was considering moving him to Tirunelveli, so that it could field a minority Christian candidate in its stronghold Kanniyakumari.

Names of former Congress whip Peter Alphonse and Rama subbu are also doing the rounds for Tirunelvei.

Past president KS Alagiri and incumbent Arani MP Vishnu Prasad are said to be in contention for Cuddalore seat.

Sitting MP Dr Chellakumar is lobbying hard to retain his Krishnagiri seat, unmindful of the reservations expressed against him by alliance leader DMK which has recommended change in at least five sitting MPs.

Meanwhile, the Congress is content that it has struck a good bargain with a generous DMK for managing to retain most of its sitting seats, mainly Karur, Sivaganga, Tiruvallur and Krishnagiri, in addition to securing Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai and Tiru nelveli as good alternatives to Arani, Tiruchy and Theni, as was reported by DT Next last week.