Chennai: The AIADMK on Wednesday released its second list of 171 candidates for the 6 April Assembly elections in the State and identified the constituencies to be contested by its allies, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (23 constituencies) and Bharatiya Janata Party (20).
The party has retained most of its Ministers and MLAs. Besides, it has included veterans and prominent ones such as JCD Prabakar from Villivakkam, former Mayor Saidai Duraisamy from Saidapet, S Gokula Indira from Anna Nagar, BA Valarmathi from Alandur, and former DGP R Nataraj from Mylapore.
While a set of political experts view this as a smart move provided the popularity of the above persons among the masses, others see this as the helplessness of the leadership, which is not able to go beyond seniors. “This is not the case when Jayalalithaa was alive,” they point out.
The ruling AIADMK on Wednesday announced its candidates for 171 Assembly constituencies in its second list. The party had already announced six candidates in the first list.
Thus, so far, the party has taken 177 seats out of the 234 while allocating 43 seats to the PMK and the BJP together. Many smaller parties are contesting on AIADMK’s Two Leaves symbol.