<p>Chennai: Congress on Friday repeated 12 sitting MLAs and denied opportunity for five to contest again, while it offered seats to fresh faces and a film producer with political links, who joined the party just days ago.</p><p>Of the 28 seats the party is contesting in the DMK alliance, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress </a>is yet to announce its candidate for Melur seat in Madurai district. </p><p>TNCC chief K Selva Perunthagai was renominated from Sriperumbudur outside Chennai, S Rajesh Kumar from Killiyoor in Kanyakumari district, A M Munirathinam from Sholingur, J M H Aassan Maulaana from Velachery, and S Oorvashi Amirtharaj from Srivaikuntam. </p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 | 60 new faces in DMK’s candidates list; Senthil Balaji moves to Coimbatore.<p>Among the fresh faces in the list, former Krishnagiri MP A Chellakumar has been fielded from Krishnagiri, Jamal Yunus Mohammed from Mayiladuthurai, V Srinithi Naidu from Singanallur, and Gopinath Palaniyappan from Erode (East). </p><p>The notable factor is that G K M Tamil Kumaran, son of senior PMK leader G K Mani owing allegiance to Dr S Ramadoss, has been fielded from Pennagaram in Dharmapuri district in the Vanniyar stronghold. Kumaran, a film producer, joined the party on March 28. </p><p>While the renomination of sitting MLAs didn’t create a stir, tickets given to fresh faces did raise questions from senior leaders. Karur MP S Jothimani alleged that constituencies were sought from the DMK after deciding the candidates which lead to denial of opportunities to many deserving long-time Congressmen. </p><p>“Opportunities have been given to people who came to the party just a few days or a few years ago. And no opportunity has been given to people from Gounder, a OBC community, and Arunthathiyars, a sub-sect of Dalits, in the western region. This has never happened in the past,” she alleged. </p>
<p>Chennai: Congress on Friday repeated 12 sitting MLAs and denied opportunity for five to contest again, while it offered seats to fresh faces and a film producer with political links, who joined the party just days ago.</p><p>Of the 28 seats the party is contesting in the DMK alliance, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress </a>is yet to announce its candidate for Melur seat in Madurai district. </p><p>TNCC chief K Selva Perunthagai was renominated from Sriperumbudur outside Chennai, S Rajesh Kumar from Killiyoor in Kanyakumari district, A M Munirathinam from Sholingur, J M H Aassan Maulaana from Velachery, and S Oorvashi Amirtharaj from Srivaikuntam. </p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 | 60 new faces in DMK’s candidates list; Senthil Balaji moves to Coimbatore.<p>Among the fresh faces in the list, former Krishnagiri MP A Chellakumar has been fielded from Krishnagiri, Jamal Yunus Mohammed from Mayiladuthurai, V Srinithi Naidu from Singanallur, and Gopinath Palaniyappan from Erode (East). </p><p>The notable factor is that G K M Tamil Kumaran, son of senior PMK leader G K Mani owing allegiance to Dr S Ramadoss, has been fielded from Pennagaram in Dharmapuri district in the Vanniyar stronghold. Kumaran, a film producer, joined the party on March 28. </p><p>While the renomination of sitting MLAs didn’t create a stir, tickets given to fresh faces did raise questions from senior leaders. Karur MP S Jothimani alleged that constituencies were sought from the DMK after deciding the candidates which lead to denial of opportunities to many deserving long-time Congressmen. </p><p>“Opportunities have been given to people who came to the party just a few days or a few years ago. And no opportunity has been given to people from Gounder, a OBC community, and Arunthathiyars, a sub-sect of Dalits, in the western region. This has never happened in the past,” she alleged. </p>
