2019 LS polls: There are 12 new faces among 20 DMK candidates

The DMK announced former Union ministers Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja and T R Baalu and its Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi among its candidates for the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies it is contesting in the 2019 general elections. A total of 12 candidates are new faces in the list.

Releasing the list of candidates which included another woman, party president M K Stalin said Dayanidhi will contest from Central Chennai, A Raja from Nilgiris (R) and T R Baalu from Sriperumbudur constituencies, which they had won in 2009.

Stalin’s sister and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi will, for the first time, try her luck in the Lok Sabha polls as she has is being fielded in Thoothukudi constituency.

The DMK is contesting 20 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in the State, leaving the rest to its allies, including Congress.

Replying to questions from reporters, Stalin said the DMK manifesto will be released soon. It would be both the ‘hero and heroine and definitely not a villain’ of the election, he added.

Former Union ministers of state S Jagathratchagan and S S Palanimanickam have been fielded in Arakkonam and Thanjavur constituencies.

T Sumathi alias Tamizhachi Thangapandian, a noted orator in Tamil, will contest from Chennai South, Kalanidhi Veerasamy from Chennai North and D M Kathir Anand, son of party treasurer Durai Murugan, from Vellore.

While Tamizhachi is the daughter of late DMK leader V Thangapandian and sister of former State Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Kalanidhi is the son of former State minister Arcot N Veerasamy.

In Kallakurichi, former State minister K Ponmudi’s son Gowtham Sigamani has been fielded.

Stalin also named his party candidate for the by-poll to an Assembly seat (Thattanchavadi) in neighbouring Puducherry.

The DMK also released its list candidates for by-polls to the 18 Assembly constituencies in the State to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls 18 April.