G.Palanichamy, a four-time MLA from Thiruthuraipoondi Assembly constituency, has been nominated by the Communist Party of India (CPI) for Nagapattinam (Reserved) Lok Sabha constituency as the party’s candidate.
Nagapattinam is the only constituency in the central districts where CPI is in the fray.
The constituency has been a strong hold of the party since 1971 elections when the party tasted its maiden success .
The CPI repeated its victory in the constituency in 1977, 1979, 1989, 1996, and 1998. The last three elections were won by M.Selvarasu, who was one of the strong contenders for the seat this time too. The hold of the CPI in Nagapattinam seat could be gauged from the fact that this was the only seat won by the DMK-led alliance in the elections held in 1989 while the rest of the 38 seats were won by the AIADMK-Congress alliance.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had won the constituency in all the last three elections held in 1999, 2004, and 2009 and A.K.S.Vijayan was the winner on all the occasions.
Mr.Palanichamy, who is currently the State deputy general secretary of the CPI, had won the elections in Thiruthuraipoondi constituency in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 2001 Assembly elections. He had also served as the CPI floor leader in the State Assembly.
The ruling AIADMK has nominated K. Gopal, a medical practitioner and former MLA, and the DMK has re-nominated Mr. Vijayan for the fourth time in a row .
