Tamil Nadu: CPI(M) candidate files nomination

Chennai, Mar 14: With the PMK, a key ally of the DMK-led DPA announcing its support, the CPI(M) nominee T K Rengarajan today filed the nomination papers for the March 26 polls to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Mr Rengarajan filed the papers before the Returning Officer and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretary M Selvaraj.

He was accompanied by Local Administration Minister M K Stalin and DPA leaders, including CLP Leader D Sudarsanam and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan.

The two DMK candidates and the AIADMK candidate had already filed their papers on March 12.

Of the six seats falling vacant, the ruling DMK had decided to contest two, and allotted an equal number to the Congress and one to the CPI(M), while stoutly rejecting the PMK's demand for a seat. The main Opposition AIADMK would contest the sixth seat.

After being at loggerheads with the DMK for the last few days over non-allotment of a seat to it, the PMK, based on a series of confabulations both in the city and at New Delhi, finally relented and extended the olive branch by offering support to the DPA candidates last night.

Meanwhile, Congress nominees--Union Minister G K Vasan and Ms Jayanthi Natarajan--would file their papers tomorrow, the last day.

Mr Vasan, who is seeking re-election, earlier called on DMK President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence and sought his blessings.

He also met TNCC President M Krishnasamy and sought his blessings.

Elections, if necesary, would be held on March 26 to fill six vacancies from the state Assembly as the tenure of Mr Vasan (Congress), R Shanmugasundaram (DMK), Advocate N Jothi, Thanga Tamilselvan, Syed Khan, Perumal (AIADMK) expires on April two.

With just a day left for the nominations and the MDMK, an ally of the AIADMK deciding not to jump into the fray as it fell short by two votes, all the six candidates were likely to be elected unopposed on March 19 after scrutiny.

UNI