Thambidurai may not get AIADMK ticket

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai is unlikely to get ticket from the AIADMK to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from Karur, triggering speculation about the senior leader’s future course of action given his belligerent anti-BJP stand.

The speculation intensified on Thursday evening after Chinnathambi, father of Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar, filed an application with the AIADMK expressing his interest to contest from Karur, the constituency represented by Thambidurai in 1989, 1998, 2009 and 2014. Vijayabhaskar represents Viralimalai Assembly constituency in Pudukkottai district that comes under Karur Lok Sabha segment.

Filing of application by Chinnathambi was a surprise to many in the AIADMK, but Thambidurai himself downplayed the issue saying every party cadre has the right to express his interest to contest any election. Vijayabhaskar is one of the powerful ministers in the government and he had rejected demands that he quit his post after his houses were searched in connection with multi-crore gutkha scam.

“If Vijayabhaskar’s father has applied, then he is sure to get the ticket given his son’s position in the AIADMK and government,” a senior party leader said. Sources told DH that Thambidurai has not filed an application seeking ticket for Lok Sabha elections from any constituency. The AIADMK seeks applications from prospective candidates and chooses one from the aspirants – the deadline for submitting filled applications ended on Thursday evening.

Besides, the senior leader has been upset with the AIADMK and BJP leadership particularly for “not giving him the due” in the party after the death of J Jayalalithaa – he had nursed ambitions of becoming the chief minister but was overlooked.

In fact, Thambidurai, much senior to both Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam in the AIADMK, was forced to play the second fiddle. Ever since the AIADMK and BJP began informal talks for an alliance, Thambidurai has been scathing in his attacks against the saffron party and even said that the regional party does not have to carry the BJP on its shoulders.

1,700 express interest to contest polls

CHENNAI: Nearly 1,700 people have applied for AIADMK tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls – a figure that has seen a major decline from what it was during J Jayalalithaa’s tenure as party general secretary. In 2014, more than 4,500 people had applied for party tickets – many used to apply expressing their interest that Jayalalithaa contest from their constituency. Alliance with BJP and Jayalalithaa’s absence is being cited as reason for the decline in the number of people seeking tickets.