The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s choice of candidate R.Ramanujam for the Cuddalore parliamentary constituency has drawn flak from the party cadre and leaders.
It has caused heart burn among the local leaders. who Cadres from Cuddalore and Vadalur units gathered in front of the party offices on Sunday and Monday and voiced their disillusionment over the candidate choice.
Mr Ramanujam, a native of Pennadam in Cuddalore district, had migrated to Avadi 35 years ago. According to the party men his lack of familiarity in the constituency would affect the electoral prospects of the party.
Also, sidelining the local leaders would have a deleterious impact on the vote banks. Sources pointed out that the front runners for the seat were N.Sudaramurthy, district president, and Sivamurugan, a protégé of district secretary P.Sivakolundu, MLA.
When the party announced the candidates list both of them were disappointed that they were left out of the race. It shocked the cadres and even forced a section of them to stay away from making arrangements for the election campaign of the party leader Vijayakant in Cuddalore.
The sources further said that it was after a lot of efforts that the DMDK managed to get the Cuddalore Lok Sabha constituency in the seat-sharing arrangement with the National Democratic Alliance.
In fact, the Pattali Makkal Katchi, a constituent of the NDA, had announced the candidate Dr R.Govindasamy, former MLA, for the constituency much ahead of the alliance talks.
Since then Dr Govindasamy was organizing a series of party as well as public meetings to seek support for his candidature.
Therefore, only with great difficulty that the DMDK could get the Cuddalore Lok Sabha seat allotted to the DMDK.
In such circumstances, it is the concern of the party cadres that by fielding an outsider the DMDK seems to be weakening its position.
