Women candidates create record

Chennai, Apr 27: As many as 160 women candidates, the highest ever in the history of Tamil Nadu Assembly elections since 1952, are in the fray for the May 8 Assembly polls.

The women are among the total 2,586 candidates fighting it out for the 235 Assembly seats in the state.

The number of women contestants was 10l in 1991 election, 156 in 1996 and 109 in 2001, according to a press release issued by the Chief Electoral Officer here.

Thousand Lights constituency, where DMK Deputy General Secretary M K Stalin is seeking re-election, has the maximum number of candidates of 26, while Orathanad, held by AIADMK nominee and State Environment Minister R Vaithialingam, has the minimum number of four.

Not even a single independent filed nomination in the three constituencies of Nagapattinam, Thiruthuraipoondi (reserved) and Orathanad, the release said.

As many as six national parties, four state parties, nine recognised state parties of other states and 15 registered unrecognised political parties have field their candidates.

A total number of 1,222 independents have also thrown their hats into the ring.

UNI