Nomination filing for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election gathered pace on Monday, the final day for submitting papers, with senior leaders from major parties turning up at returning officers’ offices.
The election is scheduled to be held on April 23. The contest is described as a four-cornered fight involving the DMK, AIADMK, TVK and Naam Tamilar, while some parties left out of alliances are also fielding candidates independently or as smaller fronts. Filing began on March 30.
Across all 234 constituencies, a total of 3,430 nomination papers have been received so far, including 2,731 from male candidates and 698 from female candidates. With Monday being the deadline, nomination centres reported brisk activity. In the DMK alliance, the Congress filed nominations for 28 candidates, while the BJP in the AIADMK alliance filed for 27 candidates, among others.
BJP’s Nainar Nagenthran filed his nomination for Sattur in the presence of Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. In Coimbatore North, BJP candidate Vanathi Srinivasan filed papers with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and K Annamalai present. Union Minister L Murugan filed for Avinashi along with Union Minister Kishan Reddy.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami filed his nomination from Edappadi after inaugurating the party’s election office near the bus stand and paying floral tributes to portraits of MGR and J Jayalalithaa. Several others, including former minister Sellur K Raju and a list of candidates from the DMK and other parties, also filed nominations. Officials said tokens would be issued to all who arrive before 3 pm, and they would be allowed to file even if it takes longer, while entries after 3 pm would not be permitted. Scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for Tuesday.
