Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and 55 Others File Nominations for Apr 6

As many as 56 persons including Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam filed their papers on the opening day of nominations for the April 6 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. According to EC figures, one woman was among the 56 candidates who filed their nominations today.

Panneerselvam, the AIADMK Coordinator filed his nomination from Bodinayakkanur, from where he is seeking a third term, after visiting a temple. State Ministers MC Sampath (Industries) and C Sreenivasan (Forest) filed their papers from Cuddalore and Dindigul, respectively.

A couple of independent candidates, including Dr K Padamarajan who is known to file nominations during every polls, also submitted their required papers. DMK President M K Stalin said he will file his papers on Monday.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP state vice president Nainar Nagendran created a flutter on Friday by filing his nomination from the Tirunelveli assembly constituency ahead of the official release of the candidates’ list by the party. ”I had filed the papers, as today is auspicious,” Nagendran told reporters.

”Perhaps he didn’t want to miss the auspicious day on which AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam too had filed from Bodinayakkanur,” a senior BJP leader said. The candidate could furnish the Form B, authorising him to contest on party ticket, before the last date of withdrawal of nominations on March 19, he added.