Tamil Nadu polls: DMK releases list of 164 candidates, fields more than 60 new faces

CHENNAI: DMK on Saturday released its list of 164 candidates for the assembly elections on April 23, retaining most ministers and party seniors, while opting for more than 60 first timers.

Three ministers - N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, T Mano Thangaraj and R Gandhi - were denied seats. Of those who recently crossed over from AIADMK, three-time chief minister O Panneerselvam was given Bodinayakanur, Paul Manoj Pandian Alangulam and R Vaithilingam Orathanadu.Releasing the list, chief minister M K Stalin told reporters, "Though we are late, we are the latest". Stalin said there were many alliance parties with whom they needed to discuss the number of seats and had to satisfy everyone.

Stalin said 2021 was a mega alliance and this alliance is a "mega mega alliance". He said he would release DMK's poll manifesto on Sunday and start his campaign from March 31. He said deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin will commence his campaign from April 1 and DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi from March 30.In Chennai, DMK has retained 11 candidates, including Stalin, Udhayanidhi, ministers Ma Subramanian and P K Sekarbabu.

The oldest candidate is 86-year-old water resources minister Duraimurugan and the youngest 26-year-old V Kokila Mani in Avanashi. DMK sharpens focus on the western beltThe DMK has fielded C Kasi, state deputy secretary of the party's labour wing, against AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on his home turf, where he is contesting for the eighth time.However, DMK has sharpened its focus on the western belt, aiming to breach the AIADMK stronghold that accounted for 33 of its MLAs in 2021.

Beyond the direct contests in Coimbatore, the shift of V Senthil Balaji from Aravakurichi to Coimbatore South is seen as a strategic message to the AIADMK and its district strongman S P Velumani. He will take on DMK's N R Karthikeyan in Thondamuthur, while Senthil Balaji will face sitting Amman K Arjunan in Coimbatore South.In the south, AIADMK's Rajan Chellappa will take on DMK's Krithiga Thangapandi in Thiruparankundram, which recently witnessed tension over the Dheepam row. In Bodinayakanur AIADMK's V T Narayanan will take on three-time chief minister O Panneerselvam. His associates R Vaithilingam and Manoj Pandian too will face AIADMK candidates in Orathanadu and Alangulam.