LS Polls: MDMK gives Trichy ticket to Durai Vaiko, CPI announces candidates
Speaking to reporters, Vaiko said that the decision pertaining to Durai Vaiko's candidature was taken in the governing council meeting without any opposition from the members.
Vaiko addresses the media outside Anna Arivalayam (Justin George)
CHENNAI: MDMK, party general secretary Vaiko on Monday announced his son and principal secretary Durai Vaiko as the party candidate for the lone constituency that MDMK is contesting in INDIA alliance.
Speaking to reporters, Vaiko said that the decision pertaining to Durai Vaiko's candidature was taken in the governing council meeting without any opposition from the members.
"Trichy constituency is DMK's fort. With the help of DMK, we will win the election. Also, our cadres will work tirelessly to ensure success of alliance candidates in other constituencies, " he said.
Explaining the reason for not contesting using DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol, which the party did in 2019, Vaiko said contesting using DMK's symbol will result in losing the individuality as well as create legal issues. "We have asked the ECI to allocate the 'Top' symbol. If we get the symbol, we will be happy. If we do not get the symbol, we will contest using any other symbol allocated by the Commission, " Vaiko added.
Born in 1972, Durai Vaiko, son of MDMK founder and general secretary Vaiko and chief secretary of the party, was inducted into the party in October 2021 after the health of his father started deteriorating.
Prior to his political plunge, Durai Vaiko was a businessman and also runs a real estate firm. The 2024 Lok Sabha election will be his first candidature to any kind of polls.
CPI announced 2 candidates:
Meanwhile Communist Party of India (CPI), another ally in INDIA alliance announced K Subbarayan as its candidate for Tiruppur constituency and V Selvaraj for Nagapattinam. While Subbarayan is present MP of Tirupur, Selvaraj, who is party's Thiruvarur district secretary, enters the fray for the first time. Present MP of Nagapattinam M Selvaraj has been denied the ticket this time.
"We have asked 3 constituencies but got two. However, seat sharing was conducted without any issues. The candidatures were approved by district and state councils, " party state secretary R Mutharasan said.
On the other hand, Communist Party of India (Marxist) already announced its present MP Su Venkatesan for Madurai Lok Sabha constituency and R Sachidanandam as the candidate from the neighbouring Dindigul constituency.