M. K. Stalin, the chief of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Saturday announced the first list of the party candidates in the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The announcement explains the party plan in its bid to stay in power, where DMK is expected to fight 164 of the 234 of the state seat.
Some of the well-known cross overs have been O. Panneerselvam who was once the head of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK), but recently left to join the DMK and was fielded against Bodinayakkanur. In Coimbatore South, former minister Senthil Balaji is the candidate and this is his first entry into the electoral arena.
Chief Minister Stalin will be once again contesting his stronghold Kolathur and his son and the Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has also been renominated to the Chepauk-Triplicane seat. Some of the senior leaders and sitting ministers include Durai Murugan, K. N. Nehru, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Thangam Thennarasu, Ma Subramanian and E. V. Velu and this has been shown to be a continuity in leadership.
The DMK has given 28 seats to the Indian National Congress, 10 seats to the DMDK, 8 to the VCK and five to the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM).
Also those leaders who have recently crossed the floor, like Paul Manoj Pandian and R. Vaithilingam have been allotted tickets. The former is an indication by DMK that it is planning to strike a balance between experience and strategic additions before a critical electoral fight.