Tamil Nadu Assembly election: CM to file nomination on Monday

AIADMK top leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami would on Monday file his nomination for the April 6 assembly polls from Edappadi constituency, aiming for a hat-trick of wins from the segment in his home district of Salem in western Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami, who has been named the chief ministerial candidate of the AIADMK-led alliance, would submit his papers at the taluk office in Edappadi at 1 pm and embark on a campaign in areas including Nangavalli and Jalagandapuram in his constituency, a party release here said on Sunday.

The CM, who is also the AIADMK co-coordinator, has won from Edappadi four times (1989,91,2011 and 2016) and the region is among the strongholds of the ruling party. Palaniswami had launched his campaign in December last and has addressed a slew of public meetings across the state.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam filed his nomination to contest from Bodinayakkanur constituency in Theni district on March 12, the opening day to submit papers. Panneerselvam had emerged victorious from Bodinayakanur in 2011 and 2016 and the segment has favoured AIADMK nominees in several polls including 1989, when late ruling party matriarch J Jayalalithaa won heading a separate AIADMK faction.

The ruling party is contesting in 179 of the 234 constituencies. The last date to submit nomination is March 19.