DMK in top gear, list of candidates likely tomorrow

Senior DMK sources revealed that there was disagreement only in some constituencies with allies and party president MK Stalin would iron out the differences in a day or two.  

Stalin had announced a few days ago that they would commence seat identification and allocation with allies after the Virudhunagar conference.

“Allies had submitted a wish list of constituencies even while the numbers were negotiated a week ago. Even constituencies were discussed. Except some constituencies, there should be no major difference in identifying the seats,” said a DMK senior requesting anonymity.

“Candidates for nearly half the 20 DMK seats have already been finalised. Sons of a few senior leaders, ex-ministers and people close to the party president’s family have already applied for LS tickets. 

Their candidature is as good as confirmed, which leaves us not even a dozen seats,” a top-level DMK functionary told DT Next.

Former ministers A Raja (Nilgiri), TR Baalu (Sriperumbudur), Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), Duraimurugan’s son Kathir Anand (Vellore), Arcot Veerasamy’s son Dr Kalanithi (North Chennai), Tamilachi Thangapandian (South Chennai), Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), Ponmudi’s son Gowtham Sigamani (Kallakurichi) and EV Velu’s son Kamban for Tiruavannamalai are probable candidates who could be selected by DMK president Stalin. 

Meanwhile, the DMK has invited its applicants for an interview of candidates even before the Election Commission has announced the poll schedule. Cadre who have applied for the 21-seat Assembly by poll and Lok Sabha elections were advised to appear for interview from March 9 and 10 respectively. Party general secretary K Anbazhagan has instructed only district secretaries and members of executive committee and general council besides union cum city secretaries to accompany the interviewees who have been asked not to bring their proposers and supporters for the interview.  Curiously, the party has summoned its district secretaries, MLAs and MPs to discuss the polls on March 11.

It is despite an in-house PR team of Stalin doing a survey of the ground reality months ago. The in-house thinktank was learnt to have given a tentative list of candidates for over 30 constituencies.

Chennai: An otherwise free-spending DMK might be sparing in its election spend this time. DMK president MK Stalin seems to have denied funds to most of the candidates. Even big wigs close to the leadership have returned disappointed after Stalin denied funds to their heirs who would be facing the poll fray this time. 

Stalin, in fact, seems to be looking for spendthrift candidates for the 20 Lok Sabha seats. If information trickling out of Anna Arivalayam were something to go by, aspirants might be expected to spend not less than Rs 30 crore per constituency. The attitudinal change of Stalin could be a setback as much for the allies as for the DMK candidates.

In the past, the DMK had spent for its allies, especially in the Parliamentary polls. In 2009, the DMK had initially denied funds to the Congress and finally apportioned a lump sum to each of the Congress candidates.

Unsurprisingly, the thrifty approach of Stalin has worried some party seniors, who fear that some ineligible candidates with deep pockets could run away with the tickets. 

The seniors requesting anonymity had even complained that the same mistake was committed in 2014 when the party had fielded little known but cash rich candidates to take on the then ruling AIADMK.

“There is no denying that we have to field candidates who have the wherewithal because the ruling party will be flexing its muscle and money power. But money should not be the sole benchmark for selecting candidates.

The leadership should change its strategy if it were serious about winning maximum number of seats,” said a senior leader whose relative was a probable candidate.