All 6 candidates from Tamil Nadu file papers for RS polls

All the six candidates — four from the ruling DMK-led Front and two belonging to the Opposition AIADM-led NDA, filed their nomination papers on the last day on Thursday to fill up six seats that would fall vacant next month in the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Though the elections was scheduled for March 16, all the six candidates would be declared elected unopposed on March 9, the last date for withdrawals after scrunity tomorrow.

Those who filed their papers were five-time member Trichy N Siva, who will be entering the Upper House of Parliament for a record sixth successive term and Prof J Constantine Ravindran of the DMK, Christopher Tilak of Congress and the L K Sudeesh, Treasurer of the DMDK of late actor-politician Vijayakanth, which would be entering the hallowed precincts of Parliament for the first time in two decades after the party was floated in 2005.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin, Lok Sabha MP and Parliamentary Party Leaders Ms Kanimozhi, senior DMK leaders, alliance party leaders including TNCC President K Selvaperunthagai, AICC TN election in-charge Girish Chodankar, Congress Legislature party leader RajeshKumar, DMDK General Secretary Ms Premalatha Vijayakanth and others.

On behalf of the AIADMK-led alliance, incumbent M Thambidurai and alliance party leaders former Union Minister Anbumani, heading one of the factions of the vertically split PMK, filed their papers, in the presence of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and senior leaders.