The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will be involved in a direct clash in eight constituencies in Salem district.
While AIADMK is contesting in all the 11 constituencies in the district, the DMK has fielded candidates in eight constituencies.
The DMK has allotted two constituencies to Congress and one to the newly formed Makkal DMDK.
The AIADMK and the DMK will clash in Salem North; Salem South; Salem West; Veerapandi, Edappadi; Omalur; Gangavalli (reserved); Yercaud (reserved) constituencies.
Edappadi K. Palanisamy, Minister for State Highways and Minor Ports, who has been re-nominated by the ruling party in his native Edappadi constituency, will be facing DMK’s P. A. Murugesan, a new face to the poll scenario.
The DMK leaders R. Rajendran, secretary of the Salem Central district secretary of the party, has been pitted against K. T. S. Saravanan in Salem North constituency, and ‘Veerapandi’ A. Rajendran, in-charge of the Salem east district unit of the party, has been pitted against S. Manonmani in his native Veerapandi constituency.
Re-nominated
G. Venkatachalam, one of the two incumbents re-nominated by the ruling party, will face the challenge from C. Panneerselvam, a former DMK Deputy Mayor, in Salem West.
In the other constituencies where fight between DMK and AIADMK witnessed is: J. Rekha Priyadarshini, former DMK Mayor, will take on A. Marudamuthu (AIADMK) in Gangavalli (reserved) constituency, M. Gunasekaran (DMK) will take on A. P. Sakthivel (AIADMK) in Salem South; C. Tamilselvan (DMK) will fight against Chitra Gunasekaran (AIADMK) in Yercaud reserved; and S. Ammasi (DMK) against S. Vetrivel (AIADMK) in Omalur.
The DMK has allotted Sankagiri and Attur (reserved) constituencies to the Congress. The Congress candidates will be facing the AIADMK in both the constituencies.
The Mettur constituency has been allotted to Makkal DMDK. R. Parthiban, the sitting MLA who has thrown his weight behind the Makkal DMDK, will be facing the challenge from S. Semmalai, a former AIADMK Minister and MP.
In Namakkal district, the AIADMK will cross swords against the DMK in five of the six constituencies.
P. Thangamani, Industries and Transport Minister, will take on P. Yuvaraj in Komarapalayam.
In Rasipuram (reserved constituency), V. P. Doraisamy, former Assembly Deputy Speaker, will take on V. Saroja, a former AIADMK MP and MLA.
AIADMK’s C. Chandrasekaran has been pitted against K. Ponnusamy (DMK) in Senthamangalam (reserved), Pon Saraswathi, Chairperson of Tiruchengode Municipality has been pitted against B. A. R. Elangovan (DMK) in Tiruchengode, and R. R. Rajendran is the ruling party candidate for Paramathi Velur, where his opponent DMK nominee is K. S. Moorthy.
The DMK led front has allotted Namakkal constituency to Congress.
