Confusion continues in TMC-Cong. camp

By Radha Venkatesan

CHENNAI, APRIL 19. While the DMK and the AIADMK have hit the hustings, confusion continues in the TMC-Congress camp over selection of candidates for the 47 constituencies they contest in the AIADMK front for the May 10 Assembly poll.

With only three more days left for filing nominations and when most parties have announced their candidates and kicked off their campaigning, the TMC and Congress leaders are still ``carrying on their discussions'' to finalise contestants.

While the TMC managed to release its first list of candidates for 15 constituencies ``after much deliberations'' yesterday, the Congress high command is still ``agonising'' over the flurry of ticket aspirants for the 15 constituencies allotted to the party.

In typical Congress style, the State Congress faction leaders are camping in Delhi for last-minute lobbying for a ticket. Strangely, the party has not even announced the constituencies it would contest from the 47 allotted to the TMC- Congress combine by the AIADMK.

As for the TMC, its party president, Mr.G.K.Moopanar, who is undergoing treatment for a fracture of his hip bone in a city hospital, was expected to announce candidates for the remaining 17 constituencies this evening. But it was put off amidst intense rivalry and mounting pressure from district units, say party sources.

Particularly, the ``stiff competition'' between party second-rung leaders and the district functionaries for the available constituencies, has put the TMC leadership in a fresh predicament.

``Should he give ticket for the seniors, the district chiefs might protest. And, if the second-rung leaders are denied ticket, they will sulk. So, Mr.Moopanar is taking his time to finalise the list,'' says a party source.

With some of the senior MLAs who were denied their home constituencies in the seats allocation by the AIADMK, demanding alternative constituencies, the problem has only compounded for the TMC leadership.

For instance, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr.S.Balakrishnan, who has sought the Kadaladi seat instead of Muthukulathor which was taken away by the AIADMK, is facing stiff resistance from the Ramanathapuram district president, Mr.Ravichandrarama Vanni and the president of Tamil Nadu Panchayat Union Chairpersons Association, Mr.P.K.Krishnan.

The former Union Minister, Mr.S.R.Balasubramanian, too is forced to fight hard for Thondamuthur seat as the Coimbatore district president, Mr.M.N.Kandasamy and the Pongalur MLA, Mr.Mohan Kandasamy, are staking claim for it. Similarly, the party general secretary, Mr.K.S.Alagiri who having lost his Chidambaram seat to the PMK in the seats allocation, is seeking Tambaram constituency in suburban Chennai. But, the party's Kancheepuram district president, Mr.Chakrapani Reddiar is making a spirited bid for Tambaram.

Also, party treasurer, Mr.D.Sudarshanam's attempt to shift to Tiruvalluvar constituency is being opposed by the local district president and MLA, Mr.E.S.S.Raman, who wants to contest from there.

Curious still is the ``competition'' in the party circles for the Villivakkam and Purusawalkam constituencies. The party's youth wing president, Dr.A.Chellakumar, whose T.Nagar constituency has gone to the AIADMK now, and Mr.Moopanar's personal secretary and former MLA, Mr.J.C.D.Prabhakaran, are vying for Villivakkam. While Dr.Chellakumar is a key functionary in the party, for Mr.Prabhakaran, Villivakkam is a tested turf.

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