Apart from Secular Progressive Alliance’s candidate Su. Venkatesan, four more candidates, including a transgender person and a candidate from Naam Tamilar Katchi filed their nominations in Madurai constituency on Friday.
Bharathi Kannamma, a transgender activist, came dressed like Goddess Meenakshi to file her nomination. She was accompanied by two persons dressed like people belonging to Muslim and Christian faiths, in what she described as her message for religious harmony.
Ms. Kannamma, who had earlier filed nominations for the 2014 Lok Sabha election and 2016 Assembly election, said that apart from other developmental works, she would focus on the welfare of transgender community, if elected.
J. Pandiammal filed her nomination as the candidate of Naam Tamilar Katchi. Addressing media after filing her nomination, she said that her party will strive for the release of the seven convicts in the Rajive Gandhi assassination case. “We will focus on protecting the rights and livelihood of the Tamil community,” she said.
P. Annadurai, State president of ‘Makkal Satta Urimai Iyakkam,’ filed his nomination as an independent candidate. Arguing that his organisation was already working towards protecting the rights of the people and eradication of corruption, he said that he will be able to reach out to more people if he got elected as an MP.
C. Ramakrishnan, Madurai rural district secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), also filed his nomination as an alternative candidate for Su. Venkatesan from the party. A total of seven candidates have filed nominations in Madurai constituency as on Friday.