CHENNAI: A fierce battle is on for Rajya Sabha nominations in the ruling AIADMK with ally DMDK too making a pitch for a seat. Former Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambi Durai, party deputy coordinator K P Munusamy and former minister Natham R Viswanathan, are among the 10 AIADMK functionaries, lobbying hard for the three seats, which would go to polls on March 26.
The chances of Munusamy are bright followed by Thambi Durai. Both lost the May LS election in Krishnagiri and Karur constituencies to Congress candidates. The other senior leader Natham Viswanathan is also in the race after making futile attempts in the previous biennial election to RS in July. “While Munusamy may pull it off given his clout within the party, the five-time MP, Thambi Durai is trying hard for a revival of his political fortunes, after suffering a humiliating defeat in Karur LS seat,” said a source. Viswanathan of the erstwhile OPS faction, has now gained proximity to EPS, and is in constant touch with two high-profile ministers, for a seat, the source said.
Jayalalithaa had removed Munusamy from her cabinet in May 2014, besides sacking him from the key party posts of Krishnagiri district secretary and member of a high-level disciplinary committee. He came into the limelight again only after Jayalalithaa’s death, when he took V K Sasikala head on in February 2017, accusing her of making “a backdoor entry” to become chief minister. He rallied behind O Panneerselvam when the latter began his ‘dharmayudh’ against the Sasikala clan.
Viswanathan, a former power minister, fell out of favour with Jayalalithaa in the run up to the 2016 assembly election and was removed from the post of Dindigul district secretary. He was given a poll ticket in neighbouring Athoor, where he lost to DMK strongman I Periasamy.
While the party leadership chose members of the minority community for the August RS polls, with an eye on the LS poll to the Muslim-dominated Vellore constituency, that may not be the case this time. “The party leadership has not had any discussion with the aspirants, but internal talks are on to nominate strong candidates who can take on DMK members. Women and Christians could also get representation,” another leader said.
Former deputy leader of RS, P H Manoj Pandian, who stood by Jayalalithaa during her difficult years in public life, former minister Gokula Indira, former MPs V Maitreyan and A Anwhar Rajhaa are also in the race. It is interestingly that three MPs vacating the RS seats in June, Vijila Satyananth, Sasikala Pushpa and R Muthukaruppan, hail from Tirunelveli district.
EOM
The chances of Munusamy are bright followed by Thambi Durai. Both lost the May LS election in Krishnagiri and Karur constituencies to Congress candidates. The other senior leader Natham Viswanathan is also in the race after making futile attempts in the previous biennial election to RS in July. “While Munusamy may pull it off given his clout within the party, the five-time MP, Thambi Durai is trying hard for a revival of his political fortunes, after suffering a humiliating defeat in Karur LS seat,” said a source. Viswanathan of the erstwhile OPS faction, has now gained proximity to EPS, and is in constant touch with two high-profile ministers, for a seat, the source said.
Jayalalithaa had removed Munusamy from her cabinet in May 2014, besides sacking him from the key party posts of Krishnagiri district secretary and member of a high-level disciplinary committee. He came into the limelight again only after Jayalalithaa’s death, when he took V K Sasikala head on in February 2017, accusing her of making “a backdoor entry” to become chief minister. He rallied behind O Panneerselvam when the latter began his ‘dharmayudh’ against the Sasikala clan.
Viswanathan, a former power minister, fell out of favour with Jayalalithaa in the run up to the 2016 assembly election and was removed from the post of Dindigul district secretary. He was given a poll ticket in neighbouring Athoor, where he lost to DMK strongman I Periasamy.
While the party leadership chose members of the minority community for the August RS polls, with an eye on the LS poll to the Muslim-dominated Vellore constituency, that may not be the case this time. “The party leadership has not had any discussion with the aspirants, but internal talks are on to nominate strong candidates who can take on DMK members. Women and Christians could also get representation,” another leader said.
Former deputy leader of RS, P H Manoj Pandian, who stood by Jayalalithaa during her difficult years in public life, former minister Gokula Indira, former MPs V Maitreyan and A Anwhar Rajhaa are also in the race. It is interestingly that three MPs vacating the RS seats in June, Vijila Satyananth, Sasikala Pushpa and R Muthukaruppan, hail from Tirunelveli district.
EOM
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