TN elections: AIADMK releases first list of candidates

CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK on Friday released its first list of six candidates, including Chief Minister and the party’s joint coordinator, Edappadi K Palaniswami, and Deputy CM and AIADMK coordinator, O Panneerselvam, for the Assembly elections, scheduled for April 6. All the six candidates will be contesting the polls from their current constituencies.

A decision in this regard was taken during a party meeting in Chennai on the day. Soon after the list was made public, the cadre gathered at the party headquarters and distributed sweets. They also cheered when Palaniswami and Panneerselvam emerged out of their chambers, and waved the victory symbol.
Palaniswami and Panneerselvam will be contesting from Edappadi and Bodinayakkanur seats, respectively. Incidentally, all the six candidates belong to different communities.

The other candidates whose names feature in the first list are -- Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar (Royapuram), Law Minister CVe Shanmugam (Villupuram), SP Shanmuganathan (Srivaikuntam), and S Thenmozhi (Nilakkottai). 

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, also interacted with secretaries of 73 party districts about selection of candidates and other related issues. With its arch-rival, DMK, planning to field strong candidates against the entire sitting Cabinet, the AIADMK, too, is weighing pros and cons of each ticket aspirant.

EDAPPADI K PALANISWAMI
To contest from Edappadi Assembly constituency (Salem district) for the seventh time

Won the seat four times 1989, 1991, 2011, 2016

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

• Active member of AIADMK since 1974
• Appointed Salem north district secretary in 1990-91
• Chairman of Salem district endowment board in 1992
• Chairman of Salem Aavin from 1993 to 1996
• Contested from Tiruchengode Parliamentary seat twice, won in 1998
• Chairman of Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation in 2003
• AIADMK propaganda secy in 2006
• AIADMK organising secretary in 2007
• Minister for Highways in 2011
• Member of AIADMK’s disciplinary committee in 2014
• Minister for PWD and Highways Department in 2016
• Chief Minister since February 2017

O PANNEERSELVAM
To contest from Bodinayakkanur Assembly constituency (Theni district) for the third time

Chairperson of Periyakulam Municipality in 1996
Contested 2001 & 2006 Assembly polls from Periyakulam constituency and won

CABINET STIN

• Minister for Revenue from  May 19, 2001 to September 20, 2001
• Minister for Public Works and Prohibition & Excise from March 2, 2002 to June 2, 2003
• Additional charge of Minister for Revenue till May 12, 2006
• Minister for Finance from May 16, 2011 to November 10, 2013
• Additional charge of Minister for Public Works from Nov 11, 2013 to Sep 28, 2014 and from May 23, 2015 to May 21, 2016
• Minister for Finance, Personnel & Administrative Reforms from May 23, 2016 to December 5, 2016
•  Deputy Chief Minister since February 2017