Tamil Nadu Polls: MK Stalin To Contest From Kolathur For Third Time, His Son Udhayanidhi To Make Debut

Tamil Nadu Polls: The move assumes significance as Stalin has emerged victorious in two previous elections from the Kolathur assembly constituency. This is the first time that Stalin would be contesting the polls as the DMK chief.

Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin | AFP

With all eyes set on conquering the throne of Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo M K Stalin has submitted his application to the party, seeking to enter the electoral contest from the Kolathur constituency for the upcoming assembly polls.

The move assumes significance as Stalin has emerged victorious in two previous elections from the Kolathur assembly constituency. This is the first time that Stalin would be contesting the polls as the DMK chief. 

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Stalin, who has contested on a DMK ticket on six occasions, has been victorious four times.

Meanwhile, the DMK chief’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is the party’s youth wing secretary, has submitted his application seeking to contest from the Chepauk-Triplicane assembly constituency.

If granted a ticket, Udhayanidhi will be making his debut in the electoral battlefield. The DMK, which is contesting the upcoming assembly elections with the Congress, has so far maintained a silence on the candidate for the Chepauk-Triplicane assembly constituency as it is the party bastion.

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Late Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi had contested from the Chepauk constituency thrice in 1996, 2001 and 2006. He had won on all three occasions.

DMK leader J. Anbazhagan won from the Chepauk-Triplicane assembly constituency in 2011 and 2016. The seat now remains vacant following Anbazhagan’s death due to Covid-19 last year.

Reports suggest the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to field actor Kushboo from the constituency this time. The ruling AIADMK is contesting the polls in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP.

It may be recalled here that the twin localities of Chepauk and Triplicane were merged following the delimitation exercise in 2008.

The elections for the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly to be held in a single phase on April 6 assumes significance as actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) will be making its electoral debut.

The Election Commission has announced the counting of votes on May 2.