Heavy demand for Congress citadel Kanniyakumari seat among veterans

The primary target of the Congress leaders, understandably, was Kanniyakumari where the national party managed to finish runner up without any alliance in 2014, also the only seat after Sivganga where it had retained deposit.

A leading realtor in the city ‘Ruby’ Manoharan and Nanguneri MLA H Vasanthakumar are vying for Kanniyakumari, considered the most winnable of Congress Parliamentary seats in the state.

Likewise, working president K Jayakumar and former MLA Selvaperunthagai are the favorites for Tiruvallur (reserve) seat. Immediate past TNCC president Su Thirunavukkarasar, who was stripped of his post only a few weeks ago, has emerged as the hot favourite for Tiruchy seat, which the national party has managed to snatch from the DMK after putting some real effort.

Though former youth wing leaders Jothimani, Manick Tagore and Chellakumar were said to be the reason the Congress had successfully driven a hard bargain with the DMK for Karur, Virudhunagar and Krishnagiri seats, Congress sources in the know said that an experienced Chellakumar could face pressure from old horse EVKS Elangovan for Krishnagiri.

Karti Chidambaram, who had unsuccessfully contested in native Sivaganga in 2014, might not face serious contention for the seat this time. However, Vanniyar stronghold Arani has seen both Na Se Ramachandran and working president K Vishnuprasad vying for the seat.

A seasoned JM Haroon has thus far been an undisputed contender in the race to win Theni Lok Sabha ticket. Ironically, the choice of a few candidates like Jothimani in Karur has not enthused even the DMK, which sees it as one of the winnable seats, thanks to newly inducted party district in charge Senthil Balaji, a generous spender and shrewd election manager in the predominantly rural constituency.