3,785 candidates in fray for Tamil Nadu assembly poll

Chennai, May 3: A total of 3,785 candidates are in the fray in the May 16 elections for the 234-member Tamil Nadu state assembly, the Election Commission said on Tuesday.

The candidates include 3,463 males and 320 females. There are also two candidates from the third-gender.

The Radhakrishnan Nagar assembly constituency, from where Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa is contesting, has the highest 45 candidates.

The chief ministerial candidates of other major parties, who are contesting, and the total number of contestants in their constituencies are -- DMK president M. Karunanidhi (Tiruvarur - 15), DMDK founder A. Vijaykant (Ulundurpettai - 25) and PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss (Pennagaram-15).

The AIADMK has teamed up with several small parties. But all will be contesting under the former's two leaves symbol in all the 234 assembly seats -- a first in the ruling party's history.

The DMK has teamed up with the Congress, two Muslim parties, a Dalit party, and several smaller outfits.

The DMDK, founded by actor-turned-politician A. Vijaykant, has teamed up with the two communist parties, VCK, MDMK and TMC while the PMK is going alone.

IANS