Spurned Ramamurthy's new party to take on Jaya at Andipatti

Chennai, Apr 1 (UNI) After his hopes of forging a tie-up with the ruling AIADMK were dashed, expelled Congress leader Tindivanam K Ramamurthy, who has rechristened his party as Tamil Nadu Jananayaga Congress (TJC)and decided to go it alone in the May eight Assembly polls, has pitted a candidate against J Jayalalithaa at Andipatti.

Releasing the first list of 36 candidates at a press conference here, the former TNCC Chief announced that 36-year-old Siva alias Sivakumar would contest against Ms Jayalalithaa from Andipatti.

Mr Sivakumar, hailing from the dominant Thevar community, is a native of Andipatti and the Madurai District Secretary of TJC.

He was previously the Madurai District Congress Committee Secretary before quitting the Congress and pledged his support to Mr Ramamurthy.

Soon after his expulsion from the Congress in the wake of his meeting with AIADMK Supremo Jayalalithaa, Mr Ramamurthy floated the new party ''Tamil Nadu Indira Congress''. But he rechristened it as TJC today.

Mr Ramamurthy was hopeful of entering into an electoral pact with the AIADMK, but was forced to go it alone as he had not received any invitation from that party.

''I had only expressed my desire to forge an alliance with the AIADMK. No formal decision was taken then (during his meeting with Ms Jayalalithaa) that we will align with them'', he said.

Later, talking to UNI, Mr Ramamurthy said the process of screening of candidates was on and the next list of candidates would be released in the next two to three days.

Mr Ramamurthy said he would announce his decision on whether to contest the polls or not while releasing the next list of candidates. ''I will take a decision after holding talks with the party members'', he added.

Among those who were given tickets included Mr Srinivasa Murthy (Park Town), Ms Geetha (Puraswalkam), Ice House Tyagu (Triplicane), Sudhakaran (Villivakkam), N Paramasivam (Chengalpattu), Sivakumar (Andipatti).

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