Sarubala files nomination in Tiruchi

She declared movable assets worth Rs. 54.2 lakhs, immovable at 2.89 crore

Sarubala R. Tondaiman, Congress candidate for Tiruchi Parliamentary constituency coming to file nomination papers at the Collectorate, in Tiruchi on Friday. Photo: M. Moorthy

Eight candidates, including Sarubala R. Tondaiman of the Congress, filed their nominations for the Tiruchi Lok Sabha constituency on Friday.

Ms. Tondaiman, who belongs to the royal family of the erstwhile Pudukottai Princely State, has declared movable assets worth Rs.54.29 lakhs, including Rs.1 lakh cash in hand; Rs.6.59 lakhs in bank accounts and deposits; two vehicles totally worth Rs.13.70 lakhs; 1.22 kg gold valued at Rs.30.50 lakhs and five kg of silver valued at Rs.2.50 lakhs.

Mr. Tondaiman also declared immovable assets worth Rs.2.89 crore including 5.19 hectares of agriculture land in Lekkanampatti in Pudukottai district; two shops in Pudukottai, and an apartment in Shastri Nagar, Adyar in Chennai.

Her husband, Rajagopal Tondaiman, had movable assets worth Rs.1.72 crore including Rs.5 lakhs cash in hand, Rs.1.15 crore in bank accounts and deposits and 14 vehicles totally valued at Rs.52.05 lakhs. His immovable assets were worth Rs.51.92 crore at current market value, including the ‘royal palace’ at Tiruchi and land assets at Kodaikanal, Pudukottai, Chennai and Kuttralam. Ms. Tondaiman had liabilities to the tune of Rs.10.03 lakhs and her husband to the extent of Rs.5.10 lakhs.

Ms.Tondaiman, who is a post-graduate and M. Phil in economics, does not have any pending case against her.

In 2009, Ms. Tondaiman had declared movable and immovable assets worth Rs.45 lakhs and the total movable and immovable assets in Mr.Tondaiman’s name was valued at around Rs.57 crore.

Speaking to reporters after filing her papers , Ms. Tondaiman expressed confidence that she would emerge victorious as there was a good response from voters to her campaign. A. Jaffar Nisha filed her nomination as the Congress dummy.

S. Mohammed Anwardin of the Samata Party, P.Jothi of Samajwadi Party, Mu.Anbazhagan, P.Kumar, P.Vijayakumar and G.Dinesh Kumar, all Independents, also filed their nominations on Friday.

21 candidates

Twenty-one candidates have filed their nominations for the constituency till Friday. Saturday is the last date for filing of nominations.