Former Congress MLA Kumari Ananthan on Monday sought party ticket to contest from the Nanguneri Assembly constituency where byelections are being held on October 21.
While his brother H. Vasantha Kumar, who had resigned in Nanguneri following his election to the Lok Sabha, on Sunday said that Mr. Ananthan might not get the ticket, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri on Monday told journalists in Coimbatore that there was a possibility that the veteran could be fielded in the constituency.
The party had started receiving applications from aspirants.
The applications would be scrutinised by September 25, Mr. Alagiri said after inspecting the premises in Coimbatore where the party would hold its general council meeting on September 30.
Earlier, Mr. Ananthan visited TNCC headquarters Sathyamurthi Bhavan to collect the application form to seek a ticket.
Mr. Ananthan told reporters that he had been a four-time MLA and a one-time MP.
“I will raise key issues such as total prohibition, farmers loan crisis, issues faced by the textile industry in the Assembly,. I will raise issues such as the imposition of languages, if given an opportunity and elected to the Assembly,” he said.
Mr. Alagiri said all the parties in the secular progressive alliance should work towards ensuring the victory of the DMK and Congress candidates in Vikravandi and Nanguneri respectively.
Criticises Amit Shah
Criticising Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his comments on Jawaharlal Nehru and Kashmir, Mr. Alagiri said though documents were available regarding Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India, the BJP leaders gave statements that were contrary to truth and history.
It was because of Nehru that Kashmir acceded to India and remained with it, though Muhammad Ali Jinnah had asked that State to join Pakistan.
The BJP leaders' comments left him wondering if they knew what they were saying, the Congress leader quipped.
Accusing Mr. Shah of distorting history on the Kashmir issue, he said the BJP leader was doing what authoritarian leaders always did with history.
To a question on actors criticising the AIADMK government, he replied that he was not of the opinion that the actors criticised the government for gaining popularity.