Tamil Nadu assembly poll: DMK chief Karunanidhi to contest from Tiruvarur

Chennai, March 29: DMK chief M Karunanidhi will contest from his native Tiruvarur assembly constituency for the second time, in the upcoming polls on May 16, seeking a successive term from the rural seat.

92-year-old Karunanidhi will begin campaigning for elections after filing his nomination, that will take place after April 22. according to his campaign schedule released by the party, the veteran will also launch his election campaign from Saidapet on April 23.

He will file his nomination at Tiruvarur on April 25 and also address a public meeting the same day.

A five-time chief minister, Karunanidhi represents Tiruvarur in the outgoing 14th Assembly, dominated by arch rival AIADMK, which he chose in 2011 after contesting in constituencies from the state capital here for a long time.

In his three-phase election tour, Karunanidhi will campaign across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and address rallies in various districts including Chennai, Erode, Vellore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Krishnagiri and Kancheepuram. The DMK President will wind up his tour in Tiruvarur, the party release said.

For wheel-bound Karunanidhi, a special van has been arranged.

In 2011, he had contested from Tiruvarur for the first time and had won with the margin of over 50,000 votes. Since 1957, Thalaivar (as he is popularly known as) has never faced defeat in any assembly election.

DMK has struck an electoral deal with Congress and Muslim-dominated parties like the IUML and MMK, as its seeks to dethrone AIADMK and capture power.

The party had drawn a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, where it was virtually led by its Treasurer and Karunanidhi's son, M K Stalin.

Karunanidhi is leading his party in one of the toughest electoral battles, with a multi-cornered contest involving ruling AIADMK and PWF-DMDK-TMC combine threatening to give DMK a run for its money.

After parting ways in 2013 over the vexed Sri Lankan Tamils issue, old allies DMK and Congress revived their alliance last month to face the May 16 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The two had fought the 2011 Assembly polls as allies but DMK won just 23 seats and Congress five.

OneIndia News