With just a day left for filing nominations for the Lok Sabha elections and Assembly by-polls, a number of high-profile candidates filed their papers before the respective returning officers across Tamil Nadu on Monday.
An examination of the net worth of the candidates in the fray so far, based on the declaration made in the nomination papers, revealed that Congress Nanguneri MLA Vasanth Kumar, who is crossing swords with Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan of the BJP in Kanniyakumari, is the richest, with declared assets worth ₹417.48 crore. His liabilities stood at ₹154 crore.
Candidates from across parties, barring the AMMK, filed their nomination papers in their respective constituencies. As of Monday, 610 candidates, including two from the third gender, had filed nominations.
In Thoothukudi, DMK women’s wing leader Kanimozhi and BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan filed their papers. Both have declared assets – including that of family members – of over ₹10 crore.
At Sivaganga, Karti Chidambaram, whose candidature had been a matter of speculation till Sunday evening, filed his papers, declaring assets of over ₹79.38 crore. BJP national secretary H. Raja too filed his nominations from the constituency, declaring assets of over ₹2.62 crore and liabilities of ₹59.10 lakh
In Karur, AIADMK propaganda secretary and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M.Thambi Durai filed his papers. His principal rival Congress candidate S. Jothimani and former minister V. Senthil Balaji (DMK), engaged in a heated exchange with a police officer at the office of the returning officer. The issue arose when Mr. Balaji and Ms. Jothimani were prevented from entering the RO’s room when Mr. Thambi Durai was filing his papers for over 30 minutes.
In Erode, MDMK candidate A. Ganesamoorthy, who is contesting on the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, staged a sit-in-protest outside the Returning Officer’s room at the Collectorate for 10 minutes. Mr. Ganesamoorthy said that a police Inspector had informed him over phone that the time was allotted to him was from 1 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Though he waited till 1.30 p.m., he was not allowed inside the RO’s office, leading him to stage a protest. The candidate took up the issue with the returning officer and Collector C. Kathiravan, who informed him that he did not allot any time to the candidates for filing their nominations.
When DMK candidates D.M. Kathir Anand and S. Jagathrakshagan went to file their nominations for Vellore and Arakkonam Parliamentary constituencies respectively, chaos persisted at the District Collectorate for some time. Though a large posse of policemen were present at the Collectorate and its surrounding areas, they were helpless for more than half an hour as the party cadre who had been advised to stay out of the portico area, forced their entry into the Collectorate and turned it into a ‘free for all’. In the melee, some of the party functionaries accompanied the candidates up to second floor where the nominations took place. This led to a situation in which Vellore MLA P. Karthikeyan had to fight his way to the Collector’s office.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder Thol. Thirumavalavan, former TNCC presidents Su.Thirunavukkarasar and E.V.K.S. Elangovan, former Union IT Minister A. Raja, Puthiya Tamilagam leader Krishnasamy, DMK South Chennai candidate Thamizhachi Thangapandian and IJK founder Paarivendhar were among those who filed their nominations.
(With inputs from Bureaus)
