Incumbent Tiruchy Siva to face tough competition in DMK 

It has been reliably learnt that the DMK leadership was not keen on deputing its propaganda secretary to Parliamentary duty again. Senior advocate NR Elango, whose name was doing the rounds during the previous vacancy, was said to be one of the main contenders with good chance of securing a Rajya Sabha ticket this time.

DMK sources with knowledge of the RS election race in the party revealed to DT Next that the high command was also considering nomination of a member of minority and Vanniyar community to muster support among the community. A high level executive committee member hailing from Vanniyar community has made the moves, while suggestions have also been made to the leadership to consider Veerapandi A Raja to placate the community after his recent sacking from district secretary post, which rival PMK had improvised to its political advantage.

However, credentials of Raja, who is seen more as an MLA material, might discourage the DMK leadership from giving serious thought to his nomination. “Promising reservation for Vanniyars did not help us much in bypolls. It might not be a bad idea to consider a nominee from the Vanniyar stronghold after the ruling AIADMK had attempted to pamper the community by getting a memorial for Ramasamy Padayachi unveiled recently and that too after obliging PMK,” reasoned a DMK insider who did not wish to be named.

DMK deputy general secretary VP Duraisamy and former Salem Mayor Rekha Priyadarshini, both hailing from scheduled caste community are other contenders trying to contest in the biennial election. A joint secretary of DMK trader’s wing hailing from a southern district has also thrown in his hat. Name of Hasan Mohammed Jinnah, a product of the party youth wing, who is also a member of the coterie around influential DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin, is also doing the rounds in the party circles for the Rajya Sabha berth.