RS elections in TN: DMK and AIADMK yet to finalise candidates

With their respective allies demanding their pound of flesh as part of alliance negotiations, both the ruling DMK and the principal Opposition AIADMK are yet to finalise the candidates for the upcoming March 16 biennial election to the Rajya Sabha for which filing of nominations commenced on Thursday.

From Tamil Nadu, six seats in the upper house of Parliament would fall vacant in April, but none filed papers on the opening day.

Advertisement

There is hectic lobbying within the DMK as well as the AIADMK amid growing demand from their allies for Rajya Sabha berths. The Congress, a key ally of the DMK, has been pressing for two seats, while other allies, the MDMK of Vaiko, and the new entrant, DMDK of late actor Vijayakanth, headed by his wife Premalatha, are also in contention for a seat for each of them.

In the AIADMK-led alliance, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) faction of Anbumani is believed to have been assured a Rajya Sabha berth. As such, Anbumani is expected to be back in the upper house. But the deal has not been made public. For, Neither the DMK nor the AIADMK have completed the seat-sharing deal with their respective allies for the assembly election, making the process of finalising the candidates for the Rajya Sabha election a difficult one.

Of the six seats up for grabs, the AIADMK could win only one on its own and the rest would go to the DMK. The six members whose tenure is ending are NR Elango, P Selvarasu, Trichy N Siva and Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu (all DMK), M Thambidurai (AIADMK) and GK Vasan (Tamil Maanila Congress), an ally of the AIADMK.

As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the last date for filing of nominations is March 9 and polling, if necessary, will be held on March 16.