BJP's List Of Candidates For Tamil Nadu: Annamalai Gets Coimbatore - Check Names Of 9 Candidates

The BJP on Thursday released its third list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party has revealed the names of nine candidates from Tamil Nadu.

Despite his earlier assertion last month that he would refrain from contesting in the Lok Sabha polls to focus on broader party objectives, reports suggest that the party high command has urged him to contest, buoying the morale of party workers.

Former Telangana Governor Tamilsai Soundrarajan is being fielded from the Chennai South seat. Union minister L Murugan will contest from Nilgiris and Nainar Nagendran from Tirunelveli.

With aspirations to enhance its electoral footprint, the party, which garnered slightly over three per cent of the votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, aims to secure more seats this time around. Surveys indicate a potential surge in the saffron party's vote share, anticipated to reach 20 per cent, with predictions of clinching 3-5 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

On Thursday, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) finalized the allocation of seats for the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Out of these, the BJP will contest in 20 seats, while its allied parties will vie for 19 seats.

Also, in four constituencies, allies of the BJP will contest under the party's 'Lotus' symbol. Consequently, candidates will compete under the BJP's 'Lotus' symbol in a total of 24 seats.

Notably, the faction led by expelled AIADMK leader and former chief minister O Panneerselvam, a long-time supporter of the BJP, has not been allocated any seats.

Asked whether Panneerselvam has not been allocated any seat, Annamalai said, "He has taken a good decision and his district secretaries have ratified his decision. He will announce that decision and it won't be appropriate for me to convey that."

Pannerselvam is likely to opt out from contesting in the Lok Sabha polls and is expected to announce his support to the NDA.

Apart from the 24 seats previously mentioned, the BJP has allocated three seats to the Tamil Maanila Congress, two to the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, and ten to the Pattali Makkal Katchi.