Several political leaders contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha election filed their nomination papers on Wednesday.
Among them were DMK leaders and former Union Ministers Dayanidhi Maran (Chennai Central), A. Raja (the Nilgiris) and S. Jagathrakshakan (Arakkonam); Congress’s S. Jothimani (Karur) and Vijay Vasanth (Kanniyakumari); VCK’s Thol. Thirumavalavan (Chidambaram); and BJP State president K. Annamalai (Coimbatore).
‘Modi govt. failed’
After filing his papers, Mr. Maran told reporters that India’s GDP was ₹100 lakh crore when the BJP assumed office in 2014. Though it should have doubled in ten years, it only stood at ₹167 lakh crore now, he said, adding that the Narendra Modi government had failed to ensure the economic development of India.
Mr. Raja told reporters that the DMK was fighting to safeguard democracy and said corruption and religious extremism were threatening the country’s diversity.
Mr. Annamalai said the BJP was confident of winning over 400 seats across the country, and it would include the representative from the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency.
AMMK founder and a candidate of the National Democratic Alliance T.T.V. Dhinakaran, too, filed his nomination for the Theni Lok Sabha constituency. Sitting Theni MP P. Ravindranath Kumar accompanied him.
