Debutants depend on kin to stand as dummies

Unlike earlier days when candidates and parties nominated well-known functionaries as ‘dummies,’ fielding family members as standby has become the order of the day now, at least in the DMK.

Nearly half of the DMK candidates have fielded their spouses, children and siblings to double up as ‘dummies’ during the nomination process. Significantly, such primary candidates who have roped in their kin and kith happened to be debutant candidates.

Call it trust deficit or fear, the first timers, understandably, have also filed over two nominations in their own names. The list of insecure candidates comprises even big names from established DMK families like Dr Kalanidhi (North Chennai), Tamilachi Thangapandian (South Chennai), Ponmudi’s son Gowtham Sigamani (Kallakurichi), Duraimurugan’s son Kathir Anand (Vellore). All four heirs have fielded their respective partners, Dr Senthil Kumar (Dharmapuri), who faces Anbumani Ramadoss in Dharmapuri has brought his father V Selvaraj into the fray.

IJK leader Paarivendar contesting in DMK’s “Rising Sun” symbol and Tirunelveli candidate Gnanathiraviam have introduced their sons as dummies, so also Congress candidate Su Thirunavukkarasar in Tiruchy. Congress candidates Dr Vishnuprasad (Arani) and Chellakumar (Krishangiri) have relied on father and brother respectively in the event of their candidature going unaccepted.

Curiously, big players like TR Baalu, A Raja and Dayanidhi have chosen their confidants in the party. A Raja, in fact, has filed only one nomination, the sole confident DMK candidate who did not file additional nominations as insurance. Ironically, early this decade, fielding spouse became a big problem in the state Congress when the then state party president KV Thangkabalu awarded ticket to his wife and eventually ended up contesting it himself.