Heirs, old-timers dominate DMK candidates list

While retired DMK veteran Arcot N Veerasamy was gladdened by a seat to his son Dr Kalanithi in North Chennai, former DMK senior’s daughter and former minister Thangam Thennarasu’s sister, Tamilachi Thangapandian finally got her chance to contest the polls from Chennai South Parliamentary constituency. Influential DMK Treasurer Duraimurugan, who was disappointed with the party apportioning native Vellore to minority allies in 2014, has managed to secure the ticket for his son Kathir Anand.

Villupuram district secretary and former minister K Ponmudi put his influence with Stalin junior to good use by somehow getting his son to be fielded in Kallakurichi, which was retained by the DMK despite enormous pressure from ally Congress.

Dayananidhi Maran was already touted to be the luckiest of the lot with the former minister getting his favourite Chennai Central ticket, where he could be facing competition, if any, only from the SDPI of AMMK alliance and not from the rival AIADMK which has conveniently gifted the seat to the PMK, which is an outsider in the minority rich segment.

The likes of TR Baalu, A Raja, Jagatratchakan and SS Palanimanickam got their wish fulfilled by getting the seats of their choice. Baalu, who had contested from rural Thanjavur last time, has shifted to a predominantly urban Sriperumbudur. Industrialist cum former minister Jagathratchakan who preferred the upper house this time has eventually obliged the high command and offered to slog it out from Arakkonam. Both Raja and Palanimanickam have stayed in their comfort zones, The Niligiris and Thanjavur respectively.

However, the largely predictable candidate list had a few surprises like Kancheepuram (reserve) where union secretary G Selvam has been fielded. Probably, annoyed by overload of heirs, Stalin has withstood pressure and announced Sriramesh candidate for Cuddalore in place of the district secretary MRK Panneerselvam’s son Kathiravan. Tiruvannamalai is another seat where the party has fielded newcomer Annadurai, whose father was an old union secretary of the DMK. Dindigul candidate Velusamy, an industrialist close to party deputy general secretary I Periasamy, is another imported candidate not familiar in local party circles.

However, a glaring feature of the DMK list was absence of women. At a time when some parties in the north like Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and Navin Patnaik were reserving over 40 per cent and 33 per cent for women, the DMK was content with 10 per cent. Only 2 of the 20 candidates were women. When his attention was drawn to abysmally low representation for women this time, Stalin said they have only following the principle of their late leader M Karunanidhi.

The DMK president who announced that he would hit the campaign trail from Tiruvarur from March 20, said the much expected manifesto of the party would be for both hero and heroine, but not a villain. Asked about the formula of their campaign, Stalin referred to the naming of the alliance as “Secular Progressive Alliance” and said the people want the state and Central govts out and they would work towards that.