The Hindu : Front Page : No contest for Rajya Sabha seats

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Sunday, Mar 16, 2008
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No contest for Rajya Sabha seats

Special Correspondent

Only six valid nominations were filed for as many seats from the State

— Photo: K. Pichumani

COMPLETING THE FORMALITY: Congress candidates G.K. Vasan and Jayanthi Natarajan filing their nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in Chennai on Sunday.

CHENNAI: Election to the six Rajya Sabha seats from the State will not witness a contest as only six valid nominations were filed at the close of the week-long process of submission of nominations on Saturday.

Of the six, five are from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Democratic Progressive Alliance and one from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Four independents have filed their nominations but their names have not been proposed by Members of Legislative Assembly.

On the final day, G.K. Vasan, Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation, and Jayanthi Natarajan, All India Congress Committee spokesperson, presented their nominations to the Returning Officer and Assembly Secretary M. Selvaraj. Among those present were M. Karunanidhi, Chief Minister; M. Krishnasswamy, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president; G.K. Mani, Pattali Makkal Katchi leader; T.K. Rengarajan, Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s central committee member; M.K. Stalin, Local Administration Minister, and Dhanuskodi Athithan, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha).

After filing the nominations, Mr. Vasan told journalists that the DPA would emerge victorious in the Parliamentary elections. Tamil Nadu remained an example of cordial relations between the Centre and States. He thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Karunanidhi and leaders of the constituents of the DPA for their support to the candidates.

According to an affidavit filed by Mr. Vasan, declaring assets owned by him and his family members, he holds three savings bank accounts in the State Bank of India and Indian Bank with a total balance of about Rs. 3.43 lakh. He owns a Hyundai Accent car worth Rs. 2 lakh and agricultural lands of 7.33 acres in Kabisthalam village in Thanjavur district valued at Rs. 7.33 lakh.

As per Ms. Natarajan’s affidavit, the worth of several bank deposits held by her and her husband is Rs. 2.45 crore. She has about 42 acres of agricultural lands in different parts of the State. Her house on Warren Road is valued at about Rs. 83 lakh.

As the Marumarlarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam declined to contest the elections despite being offered a seat by its ally AIADMK, there was speculation that the AIADMK might field one more candidate. The party had already named N. Balaganga as its nominee. Politicians, officials and reporters waited at the Secretariat till 3 p.m., the closing hour of the filing of nominations.

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