Churn continues in AIADMK list

Old-timers in the AIADMK like former Health Minister S. Semmalai, former MP O.S. Manian and a few prominent personalities like party spokesperson C.R. Saraswathi and Madurai Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa have been given seats to contest for the May 16 Assembly elections.

On Wednesday, AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa continued to effect changes in the list of 227 candidates released a few days ago. After complaints started pouring in against some of the partymen given seats in the first list and to accommodate some prominent leaders, the original list was altered for the second successive day.

Ms. Jayalalithaa nominated former minister S. Semmalai, one of the party’s organising secretaries, to contest from the Mettur constituency. Former MP O.S. Manian has made a comeback. Appointed as Nagapattinam district secretary, he will also contest from the Vedaranyam constituency.

Fisheries Minister K.A. Jayapal, who was denied a seat, has lost the post of Nagapattinam district secretary as well.

AIADMK’s vociferous spokesperson, C.R. Saraswathi, has been allotted the Pallavaram constituency. She replaces C.V. Elangovan, chairman of the Pammal Municipality, who had been seen hoisting the National flag while talking on his mobile phone. Mr. Elangovan’s photograph went viral on social media after he was announced as the candidate, possibly leading to his removal.

Madurai Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa, who is the party’s Madurai rural district secretary and whose name was not there in the first list, was chosen to contest from Madurai (north) constituency in place of M.S. Pandian.

Saraswathi Rangasamy, chairperson, Tamil Nadu Child Rights Commission, who had been nominated for the T. Nagar constituency, was replaced by B. Sathyanarayana alias T. Nagar Sathya, a member of the Chennai Corporation’s Appointment Committee.

S. Kamaraj from Mannargudi, N. Murugumaran from Kattumannarkoil (Reserved), S. Pounraj from Poompuhar, and A. Nanjil Murugesan from Nagercoil have all got seats in the revised list.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the party’s district secretaries was held at the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah on Wednesday. The office-bearers were given tips on tapping the first-time voters and synergising all wings of the party to win the elections.