Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections: 2 NDA constituents name candidates, to fight polls on symbols of BJP, AIADMK

Chennai: Two NDA constituents on Friday announced their candidates for the April 23 Tamil Nadu polls, with one contesting on BJP's Lotus symbol and the other on coalition leader AIADMK's Two Leaves.

While former Union Minister GK Vasan named his party candidates for the five constituencies allotted to his TMC-M, the IJK, helmed by ex-MP Pariventhar, named its nominees for two Assembly segments.

Vasan said his party, Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) will contest on BJP's Lotus symbol, while the Indiya Jananayaka Katchi will face the election on AIADMK's Two Leaves.

Addressing a press conference here, Vasan revealed the names of the five candidates at 12.12 pm in line with his "party's sentiments," apparently referring to the auspicious time to make the announcement.

VM Karthikeyan will be contesting from Ranipet, while senior leader M Yuvaraja has been fielded from Erode West. Former legislator 'Vidiyal' S Sekar is the party's Oddanchathiram nominee, while MKR Ashok Kumar will fight from Kumbakonam.

Vasan further said that J Nivin Simon is the party candidate from Killiyoor constituency.

The party will face the election on the BJP's Lotus symbol, he said, and described the NDA as a "victorious alliance." "The public sentiment is in favour of the AIADMK-led NDA, which is a victorious alliance," Vasan added.

Meanwhile, IJK president Ravi Pachamuthu, addressing a press meet along with his father and party founder Pariventhar, said that party functionaries Venkatesan and Saranya Anbazhagan will contest from Pallavaram and Kunnam, respectively.

Pariventhar, a former Lok Sabha member, said the party will fight on Two Leaves symbol.

Further, Puthiya Neethi Katchi, another NDA member, will contest from two seats, party chief AC Shanmugam said.

The party will contest on Lotus symbol in one segment and the Two Leaves in other, he told reporters.

Shanmugam indicated that the BJP has given one seat to him from its kitty of 27 in the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance. He said the names of the constituencies to be contested by his party will be announced later.