AICC functionary Khushbu out of Mylapore, polls?

The actor-turned-politician is reliably learnt to have resisted pressure from TNCC leadership. A favourite of punters till the DMK announced its candidate to challenge AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa in RK Nagar, her name subsequently did rounds for Mylapore constituency, thanks to TNCC president EVKS Elangovan, who persuaded her to contest in the upmarket Chennai seat despite her personally not filing application for the same. 

Her disinterest did not discourage the 27-member election committee, which met at Sathyamurthy Bhavan last week, from including her name as one of the choices in the tentative list handed over to ’10 Janpath’ by party in charge of Tamil Nadu Mukul Wasnik. Notably, the AICC has struck down her name on personal request.

Highly placed Congress sources, who confirmed that the party’s candidate list would be released in New Delhi on Tuesday evening told DT Next that only three names, Chidambaram’s supporter Karate Thiagarajan, former TNCC chief K V Thangkabalu’s loyalist Damodaran and Americai Narayanan, have been short-listed for Mylapore.

The actress-turned politician responded to a query from DT Next, saying, “I never gave an application for any constituency. I will abide by the orders of the high command.”

Hence, if AICC announces her name for Mylapore still, then one must appreciate Elangovan’s persuasive skills,” said a Congress leader requesting anonymity. 

Of the 41 seats allotted to the party, AICC has finalised candidates for 25 constituencies and nominees for other seats would be picked ahead of the high level meeting to be chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday. “If there is any confrontation, Sonia and Rahul will have the last word,” sources added. 

AICC secretary Thirunavukkarasar’s son Ramachandran (Aranthangi), Kariamanickam Ambalam (Karaikudi), EVKS Elangovan’s supporter Jerome (Tiruchy East), former MP TV Rajendran (Vedaranyam), former MLA and former TNCC chief Krishnasamy’s son Dr Vishnu Prasad (Cheyyar), former MP Prabhu’s supporters VMC Manohar (Sulur) and district Congress president Ganesh (Ooty), Mano (Royapuram), Thangkabalu’s supporter Arthanari (Attur), district Congress president Rajendran (Jayankondam), Youth Congress president and Chidambaram supporter Vijay Elanchezhian (Kalasapakkam), Mohan Kumaramangalam (Sankari) and Munirathinam (Kaatumanaarkoil) are some of the favourites likely to get tickets. Thankagbalu loyalist Mannai Mathialagan and district congress president Durai Velan are both vying for Nannilam, while Mani Shankar Iyer’s supporter Loganathan and Krishnasamy Vandayar are favourites to win Papanasam.