Tamil Nadu: DMK Drops Controversial MPs From Lok Sabha Candidate List, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi To Contest Thoothukkudi

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Wednesday (20 March) announced its 21 candidates in Tamil Nadu for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections dropping many incumbent MPs.

Dharmapuri MP Senthilkumar known for Hinduphobic comments and gaumutra states jibe has been dropped. Tenkasi, Thanjavur, Perambalur and Salem will also witness new DMK faces.

Similarly, the son of Tamil Nadu Minister for Higher Education K Ponmudy, who was sentenced to three years in prison in a disproportionate assets case, Gautham Sigamani has been dropped at Kallakurichi.

However, all three MPs of Chennai -- North, South and Central -- have been retained. Similarly, TR Baalu will continue to contest from Sriperumbudur and Kanimozhi Karunanidhi from Thoothukkudi.

Arakonam MP Jagathrakshakan, Vellore MP DM Kathir Anand and Thiruvannamalai MP CN Annadurai have also been retained.

Tamil Nadu will witness voting in the first phase of elections on 19 April and nomination filing begins today. Results will be declared on 4 June.

DMK is contesting in alliance with Congress, which will be contesting nine seats in Tamil Nadu and lone seat in Puducherry. This is similar to the 2019 arrangement.

In 2019, the DMK-led alliance won 38 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu with DMK winning all 20 seats it contested. This time it will contest 21 seats.

Under the allocation to its allies, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will contest Madurai, a seat it currently holds, along with Dindigul. The CPI will contest in Nagapattinam and Tiruppur, both seats it presently represents.

The DMK has allotted Ramanthapuram to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Namakkal to the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK).

Furthermore, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) secured Chidambaram and Villupuram, reserved constituencies that it currently represents.