The Hindu : Candidates selection a tough task for Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Candidates selection a tough task for Congress

By S. Vydhianathan

CHENNAI, FEB.21. It is going to be a Herculean task for the Congress high command to select candidates for the Lok Sabha election, having to satisfy all "groups" in the State unit. Though the party has been allotted only 10 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, 422 aspirants have applied for ticket, with the Rasipuram (reserved) constituency alone accounting for 140 applications. The number of applications for the other constituencies are: Salem 55, Periayakulam 48, Dindigul 47, Palani 38, Tirunelveli 38, Gobichettipalayam 17, Sivaganga 16, Mayiladuturai 13 and Nilgiris 10.

A former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president has said the number of groups in the party is more than the available seats. Even within a group there are more two or three claimants for a seat.

As Nagercoil and Tiruchendur, considered traditional Congress seats, are not allotted to the party, former MPs from the constituencies are seeking ticket for neighbouring Tirunelveli. The former MPs, Dennis and Dhanushkodi Adhithan, are aspiring to contest from the constituency as it has a sizable Nadar voter population. S. Peter Alphonse, former Rajya Sabha member, has also staked his claim for the seat. He was the president and youth wing president of the Tirunelveli district unit and feels that he has better prospects as a chunk of the electorate belongs to minority communities. Waiting to throw his hat into the ring is Vasantha Kumar, brother of the former TNCC president, Kumari Ananthan.

N.S.V.Chintan, former Dindigul MP, is clamouring for that seat, while J.M. Arun, Alagar Raja and K.S.M. Ramachandran, former MP, have applied for the neighbouring Periyakulam constituency.

For the Mayiladuturai seat, the sitting MP, Mani Shankar Aiyar, feels that he will be renominated, even while the former Tamil Maanila Congress MP, Krishnamurthi, has also staked his claim.

The district Congress president, R.R. Sekar; the former TNCC presidents, K.V. Thangkabalu and Tindivanam K. Ramamurthi, and the former TMC MP, R. Devadoss, are vying for the Salem seat. The son of the late Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthi is also in the race as he feels that the good work done by his father for the constituency will strengthen his claim. For the Rasipuram (Reserved) seat, Dr. Natesan and the former MLA, Rani, are among the main contenders.

There will be a stiff competition for the Palani seat, for which the former TMC MP, Karvendan; the former AIADMK Minister, Durai Ramasami, and Venugopal Senapathi Gounder are vying.

The former Union Minister, R. Prabhu, has applied for the Nilgiris seat, while the former TNCC president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, is confident of getting the high command's nod for contesting in Gobichettipalayam. Sudarsana Natchiappan, sitting MP from Sivaganga, is hopeful of renomination though there is a rumour that the former Union Minister P.Chidambaram, may contest from there.

Apart from these people, youth wing leaders and those belonging to minority communities are hoping that the party will consider their applications.

The TNCC is conducting personal interviews on February 24. Thirty coordination committee members will split themselves into six groups and interview the prospective candidates.

It is to be seen whether the high command will give preference to candidates recommended by the State unit or take its own decision.

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