DMK releases candidates' list: Tainted former ministers Raja, Maran to contest Lok Sabha polls

CHENNAI: DMK president M Karunanidhi on Monday released the candidates list for the Lok Sabha elections. The party re-nominated eight of its sitting MPs, including former Union ministers T R Baalu, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, S Jagathrakshakan and S Gandhiselvan for the Lok Sabha elections.

Raja is an accused in 2G scam while Dayanidhi Maran allegedly allotted some high-speed telephone lines illegally to his brother's TV channel, Sun TV.

While releasing candidates' list, Karunanidhi said there would be smaller changes in the list if there is a need for that. The party has allotted Thanjavur constituency for T R Baalu while his present constituency Sriperumbudur has been allotted to Jagathrakshakan.

Dayanithi Maran and A Raja have retained their constituencies -- Central Chennai and the Nilgiris, respectively. DMK organizing secretary T K S Elangovan has been shifted to South Chennai from his present North Chennai constituency. Advocate Girirajan will contest from North Chennai.

A few other sitting MPs, including A K S Vijayan (Nagapattinam), have retained their constituencies.

The names of former Union minister M K Alagiri and his supporters D Napoleon and J K Ritheesh don't appear on the list.

The names of thirteen advocates, two doctors and eight postgraduates appear on the list.

The DMK also announced advocate RS Barathi as its candidate for Alandur byelection.

AMH Nazim will be the party's candidate in Puducherry.

List of DMK candidates:

1-Tiruvallur (SC): Vck

2-Chennai North: R Girirajan

3-Chennai South: TKS Elangovan

4-Chennai Central: Dayanidhi Maran

5-Sriperumbudur: Jegathratchagan

6-Kancheepuram: G Selvam

7-Arakkonam: NR Ilango

8-Vellore: IUML

9-Krishnagiri: P Chinnapillappa

10-Dharmapuri: R Thamaraichelvan

11-Tiruvannamalai: CN Annadurai

12-Arani: R Sivanandam

13-Villuppuram (SC): Ko Muthaian

14-Kallakurichi: Era Manimaran

15-Salem: Umarani

16-Namakkal: Gandhichelvan

17-Erode: Pavithravalli

18-Tiruppur: Senthilnathan

19- Nilgiris (SC): A Raja

20-Coimbatore: K Ganesh Kumar

21-Pollachi: Pongalur Palanisamy

22-Dindigul: S Gandhirajan

23-Karur: M Chinnasamy

24-Trichy: NMU Anbazhagan

25-Perambalur: S Prabhu

26-Cuddalore: K Nandagopalakrishnan

27-Chidambaram (SC): Vck

28-Mayiladuthurai: Manithaneya Makkal Katchi

29-Nagapattinam (SC): AKS Vijayan

30- Thanjavur: TR Baalu

31-Sivaganga: Suba. Durairaj

32-Madurai: Velusamy

33-Theni: Pon Muthuramalingam

34-Virudhunagar: S Rathnavel

35) Ramanathapuram: S Mohammed Jaleel

36-Thoothukudi: B Jagan

37-Tenkasi (SC): Pudhiya Thamizhagam

38)Tirunelveli: Devadoss Sundaram

39) Kanniyakumari: FM Rajarathinam

40) Puducherry: AMH Nazim

Alandur Assembly segment: RS Bharathi