Monday’s list of candidates released by AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa features a mix of party cadres who have risen from the lower rungs, current ministers and MLAs and some drawn from the old guard. There are a total of 144 graduates, of which 42 have a legal background; among the 227 candidates, six are in the medical profession.
Some 100 sitting MLAs and 10 ministers have been denied seats this time. But that’s how the party functions and everyone is given a chance, say old-timers. “Those who were there in the party way back in the 1990s would hardly remain in government. As they become seniors, they graduate to big posts in the party. Very few like S. Ponnaiyan and Panruti S. Ramachandran have been brought back. Our general secretary likes to give opportunities to new faces. She looks for loyalty towards the party and how much of hard work they have put in,” explained a senior.
For instance, R. Kamalakkannan (56), the secretary of the unorganised drivers’ wing of the party, who has been in the party since 1980, has been rewarded with a seat this time. In 2011, though he was initially offered a ticket from Virugambakkam, the seat was later given to the DMDK, the then ally. A simple man, he began his life as a transporter and has stayed one till date. He will contest in Chengalpet.
As two-time president of Srivilliputhur panchayat, Chandraprabha Muthiah, who has an MA and a diploma in Tamil Pulavar, seems to have impressed Ms. Jayalalithaa with her love for Tamil, her simplicity and her work in the local body.
For some, a combination of being from a family that has remained with the party for long and personal track record has worked. N.G. Parthiban, who is contesting from Sholingur, was the Vellore east district secretary and also secretary of the party students’ wing in the same district. His father C. Gopal, a former MP, ex-MLA and ex-district secretary, is now the constituency secretary.
A section of those dropped had also sullied their names among party cadres and voters in their constituencies. “Ms. Jayalalithaa keeps a tab on everyone. A certain leeway is allowed but if it goes beyond a limit, they will be chucked out,” said another senior member, who has been in the party since its inception. Over 26,000 persons had applied for party tickets this time.
Big wigs: Game of high stakes
O. Panneerselvam
For the past couple of months, there was speculation that the two-time Chief Minister and trusted loyalist of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa was being sidelined. He seems to be back. He will contest again from Bodinayakkanur.
Natham R. Viswanathan
Handling the portfolios of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, he was the most vociferous defender of the government, but has been silent for the past few months. Instead of Natham, he has been moved to the Aathur constituency.
Panruti S. Ramachandran
A veteran, he has had a long political journey starting out as a legislator with the DMK and moving on to be a Minister in the MGR-led AIADMK government. Briefly with the PMK and then the DMDK, he has come a full circle.
C. Ponnaiyan
Another veteran in the party, he was a Finance Minister during the 2001-2006 Jayalalithaa government. During the fag end of that term, he faded away from limelight and is making an electoral comeback after 10 years at Saidapet.
K.A. Sengottaiyan
Call him the real foot-soldier. An old timer, he is known for managing party supremo Jayalalithaa’s campaigns in the past. He was rewarded with the agricultural portfolio in 2011 but squandered the opportunity early. He has got another chance.
Ma Foi K. Pandia Rajan
A HR specialist, he left the BJP to join the DMDK and won from Virudhunagar. He troubled the treasury benches in the Assembly with his speeches laced with data. However, he switched loyalties to Jayalalithaa soon. He will contest from Avadi.
R. Natraj
Known as Chennai’s “conservative” Police Commissioner, the former DGP was instrumental in tapping tribal intelligence in the hunt against forest brigand Veerappan. He will test the electoral waters from Mylapore.
Parithi Ellamvazhuthi
A deputy general secretary of the DMK in the past, he left the party due to differences with M.K. Stalin and joined the AIADMK in 2013. He will contest from Egmore which he represented from 1989 to 2011.
N. Thalavai Sundaram
An active member of the party since 1989, the Kanyakumari district strongman was also a Rajya Sabha MP in the 1990s. In the Jayalalithaa government from 2001-06, he held portfolios like PWD, Health and Revenue.
Dr. V. Saroja
A medical practitioner, she represented the party twice in Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999 when she won from the Rasipuram constituency. Now, she will be contesting again from the Rasipuram (R) Assembly constituency.
Falling out of favour
P. Palaniappan
For nearly five years, Higher Education Minister P. Palaniappan's stocks kept rising in the party. This, despite the AIADMK losing the Dharmapuri Lok Sabha constituency to the PMK. Only recently, he fell out of favour.
S. Sundararaj
With inner party squabbles, the Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare has had had it tough in Ramanathapuram district. His recent visit to the sports hostel at night and his behaviour with female athletes there showed him in poor light.
M.S.M. Anandan
The party’s Tirupur district heavyweight has been in and out of the cabinet a few times now. Despite his recent induction into the cabinet as Forests Minister, his name missing in the list. Opposition has been at him for too long and it finally seems to have caught up with him.
Mukkur N. Subramanian
Not the Minister one would expect to be entrusted with the information technology portfolio, he hung in there. However, the AIADMK supremo has decided to revamp the entire party structure n Tiruvannamalai district.
K.A. Jayapal
The Fisheries Minister who won from the Nagapattinam constituency is another prominent name not in the list. In fact, the constituency has been allotted to the breakaway group of MMK led by Tameemun Ansari.
Others who have not been picked:
P. Mohan, Rural Industries Minister
P. Shanmuganathan, Tourism Minister
N. Subramanian, Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister
T.P. Poonachi, Khadi and Village Industries Minister
S. Abdul Rahim, Backward Classes and Minorities Minister
