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New faces take on Maran in DMK fort
The battle for Central Chennai Lok Sabha constituency is between DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran, who is contesting in the same seat for the fourth time, and candidates of other parties, many of whom are first-time contestants.
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Chennai
With a total of 13.16 lakh voters, Central Chennai is one of the smallest constituencies in India. It has six Assembly segments, namely Egmore, Harbour, Villivakkam, Anna Nagar, Thousand Lights and Chepauk.
Considered a stronghold of the DMK, the party’s candidates won all the six segments in the 2016 Assembly polls. Though the DMK had won the Central Chennai LS seat seven times, the AIADMK registered its first win here in the 2014 Parliamentary polls when its candidate S R Vijayakumar defeated Maran with a margin of close to 50,000 votes.
Despite his defeat at the last hustings, the DMK has reiterated its trust on Maran by fielding him again for the upcoming polls. Dayanidhi’s father Murasoli Maran had contested from the same constituency twice earlier.
In the opposition front, the AIADMK decided to allot the seat to one of its allies, the PMK, which has fielded entrepreneur Sam Paul. The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) on the other hand has allotted the seat to its only alliance partner, the SDPI, which has fielded its state president Tehlan Baqavi. As the constituency has a considerable number of Muslim voters, Baqavi can play spoil sport by obtaining their votes.
Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam has fielded Kameela Nasser, another Muslim candidate. Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi is another party hoping to make a mark. The pro-Tamil outfit has fielded Dr Karthikeyan as its candidate.
Freshers Vs 4-Timer In Central Chennai
Dayanidhi Maran
Former Union Telecom Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, was elected twice from Central Chennai LS constituency and he is contesting for the fourth time from the same constituency in this poll. He is the son of former Union Minister Murasoli Maran and close to the DMK main family by virtue of familial ties. On the other side, Maran has a CBI case pending against him in connection with the setting up of illegal telephone exchange at his house.
Sam Paul
An entrepreneur, who owns a chain of saloons Toni & Guy, besides fitness centres, Slam. Sam Paul, a resident of the constituency, became prominent among youngsters after his service to the rain-hit during the 2015 Chennai floods. He is a well-known teetotaller, but recently a smear campaign with morphed image, was carried out against him in social media.
Tehlan Baqavi
State president of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Tehlan Baqavi, is the only SDPI nominee to contest in the Lok Sabha election. Also, SDPI is the only party in alliance with Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). Baqavi is a prominent social worker in his circles and has earned the name of honest politician because of which he was promoted in the party.
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