DMK’s PR team gives list of LS candidates

The PR machinery of party president M K Stalin has finalised a list of three candidates for each seat. Candidate identification is learnt to have been done by the PR team, which is said to be managed by an influential member of Stalin’s family.

If party sources are to be believed, a war room has been set up in both Chennai and New Delhi to do extensive data mining for the Lok Sabha elections. The team is said to have analysed data pertaining to previous parliamentary polls and assessed the party’s winnability in all the seats.

Sources revealed to DT Next that the team has even studied the profile of candidates in previous elections to ascertain the cause of failure and victory. The team, which has profiled constituencies based on their demographic variables, reportedly considered a combination of factors like caste, popularity, financial wherewithal and qualification before shortlisting the three probable candidates for each constituency.

Stalin’s ‘think-tank’ has submitted a list of candidates for over 32 LS seats, including Nilgiris, Central Chennai and Sriperumbudur.

Sources said the list could change based on the outcome of the seat sharing and constituency allocation negotiations the party has with allies close to the election date. However, it is believed the choice of candidates would not be starkly different from the list prepared by Stalin’s team considering its overreaching influence on the party’s affairs ever since illness kept late M Karunanidhi away from the thick of party affairs.

The DMK is determined to contest not less than 25 seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha election. The party has also planned to insist on a few minor allies to contest under its symbol (Rising Sun) in the seats they would be allotted, sources added.

DMK has deferred the gram sabha meeting in all panchayats by a week to January 8 in view of the State Assembly which begins on January 2. 

The principal opposition party on Wednesday announced that the meeting covering 12,617 panchayats would be held from January 8 to February 17 owing to commencement of the Assembly session. Stalin and other senior leaders would inaugurate the meetings as was announced earlier on the revised date.

Meanwhile, party treasurer Duraimurugan has condemned union minister Pon Radhakrishnan for accusing his party of betraying the state on Mekadatu issue.

Accusing the BJP leader of playing Devil’s advocate for the ruling AIADMK owing to new-found bond with the party, Duraimurugan detailed the efforts taken by the DMK when in power and advised the minister to study history to get a better understanding of Mullaiperiyar and Mekadatu issues.

Listing out the various instances when the ruling BJP had acted against the interest of Tamil Nadu on Cauvery issue, including the most recent approval grnated by the Centre to Karnataka’s detailed project report on Mekadatu dam construction, Duraimurugan said the development took place only in the BJP regime in which Pon Radhakrishnan was holding ministerial berth.

He also accused the ruling AIAMDK of being a mute spectator to the raw deal meted out to the state by the BJP regime on various water dispute issues.

Principal opposition party DMK has challenged Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker and senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai to file an affidavit blaming it for former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death before the Justice Arumughasamy enquiry commission. 

Hitting back at Thambidurai, who had alleged recently that the cases filed by the DMK had contributed to Jayalalithaa’s death, DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi wondered if he has the courage to file an affidavit to this effect before the enquiry commission which is probing into her death.

Criticising the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker for the remark, Bharathi, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said Thambidurai would be cross-examined about the various interviews he had given to media about Jayalalithaa’s health condition during her period of hospitalization, resulting in several truths being unearthed if he files an affidavit before the commission.

Bharathi also remarked that Thambidurai and a few other AIADMK leaders were uttering lies after being rattled by the overwhelming public turnout for the rallies attended by DMK president M K Stalin. 

The DMK organising secretary drew Thambidurai’s attention to certain media reports emanating from Arumughasamy commission, especially one that claimed that the late CM had consumed idlis and dosas costing several crores during her 75-day hospitalisation in Apollo Hospitals.

Bharathi also questioned the AIADMK’s adoration of the late CM by referring to media reports which pointed out an alleged similarity between the statue of Jayalalithaa first unveiled in the AIADMK headquarters and incumbent chief minister K Palaniswami’s close relative.