DMK president M. Karunanidhi will begin his State-wide campaign with a public meeting at Saidapet on April 23.
Camping at Tiruvarur for a couple of days, he will file his nomination there on April 25 followed by a public meeting the same evening. After a State-wide tour, he will return to campaign in his constituency on May 12 before winding up in Chennai on May 14.
DMK cadres in Tiruvarur are jubilant that their leader is seeking a re-election from the constituency. Mr. Karunanidhi had for decades yearned to contest from Tiruvarur, his home town, but could not do so as the constituency was under the Reserved category.
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However, after the constituency was brought under the general category in 2008, Mr. Karunanidhi contested here in 2011. And, he romped home victorious with a huge margin of 50,249 votes over his nearest AIADMK rival.
When he visited his hometown in January, DMK cadres and local leaders fervently pleaded with him to seek re-election from Tiruvarur; but the seasoned politician that he is, Mr. Karunanidhi refrained from overtly committing himself to the proposition.
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DMK chief’s State-wide campaign schedule
Mr. Karunanidhi will kick off his campaign on April 23 and will address voters from his campaign van and through public meetings. The campaign schedule: April 23 – Saidapet, Marakkanam (van) and Puducherry; April 24 – Cuddalore, Chidambaram (van), Seerkazhi (van), Mayiladuthurai; April 25 – Filing of nomination and public meeting in Tiruvarur; April 26 – Thanjavur; April 27 – Tiruchi; April 28 – Perambalur (van), Ulundurpet (van), Villupuram, Tindivanam (van), Chengalpet (van).
May 2 – Tirunelveli, Alangulam (van), Kadayanallur (van), Sankarankoil (van), Rajapalayam; May 3 – Srivilliputhur, Virudhunagar, Aruppukottai, Kariyapatti and Madurai; May 5 – Chennai; May 7 – Kancheepuram, Ranipettai (van), Katpadi (van), Vellore; May 8 – Krishnagiri (van), Dharmapuri (van), Salem; May 9 – Erode, Tirupur (van), Coimbatore.