AIADMK releases first list of candidates for Tamil Nadu assembly polls, CM Palaniswami to contest from Edappadi

The elections across 38 districts of the southern state will be conducted in a single phase on April 2 and the results will be announced on May 2.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu from Edappadi and his deputy O Panneerselvam from Bodinayakanur, the AIADMK announced on Friday as it released its first list of candidates.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami during the 74th Independence Day celebrations, in Chennai, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (PTI Photo/R Senthil Kumar

The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has fielded D Jayakumar from the Royapuram seat in Chennai, C Ve Shanmugam from Villupuram, SP Shanmuganathan from Srivaikuntam in Thoothukkudi and S Thenmozhi from the Nilakkottai constituency in Dindigul.

The elections across 38 districts of the southern state will be conducted in a single phase on April 2 and the results will be announced on May 2. This is the first election in the state after the demise of J Jayalalithaa, who died in December 2016, months after emerging victorious the re-election earlier that year.

The first list of candidates of the party comes two days after expelled leader VK Sasikala, who was a close aide of Jayalalithaa announced her exit from politics. She has urged the party to stay united and defeat the opposition. “I never wanted any position, title or power. I’ll always remain grateful to beloved cadre of Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader, as Jayalalithaa is addressed) and people of Tamil Nadu. I will keep away from politics and pray to my akka (sister) whom I have always worshipped and the almighty for Puratchi Thalaivi’s golden rule to continue,” she said in a two page-statement.

She asserted that the AIADMK needs to strive hard to “prevent the evil force of the DMK from returning to power.” “I would like to continue my life, as I was executing the vision of Jayalalithaa,” she added.

Union home minister Amit Shah was in Tamil Nadu recently to discuss with chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami and deputy CM O Panneerselvam the possibility of the return of Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran (of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam) into the AIADMK.