The number of candidates from various political parties as well as Independents who have joined the fray for the April 6 Assembly election neared the 50 mark on Tuesday.
According to an updated press note from the Elections Department at 8 p.m., a total of 49 candidates had filed their papers so far.
The most nominations were from the DMK (11), followed by the AINRC (10), Independents (nine), BJP (6), Congress (five) and the AIADMK (four).
From the AINRC camp, former Minister Theni C. Djeacoumar filed his nomination to contest in Mangalam along with his wife Athilakshmi, also of the same party, while S. Ramesh filed his nomination for Kadirgamam. DMK’s S. Muthuvelu, Puducherry Bar Council president, filed his papers for Kalapet where he will take on BJP’s P.M.L. Kalyanasundaram.
First MNM nomination
S. Paruvavardhinie was the first off the block from the Makkal Neethi Maiam, filing her nomination for the Raj Bhavan constituency.
Though the Congress is yet to come out with its list of candidates, among the prominent names who filed nominations on Monday itself were the party’s sitting MLAs M. Kandasamy (Embalam), T. Djeamourthy (Ariyankuppam) and R.K.R. Anantharaman (Manavely).
Meanwhile, a BJP candidate, a BSP partyman and two Independents filed nominations in Yanam. Durgaa Prasaahd Pemmadi is the BJP candidate who filed his nomination for Yanam even while former Chief Minister and AINRC president N. Rangasamy is set to file his papers from the enclave on Wednesday.
The nominations from the Congress and the BJP will commence once the parties finalise the list of candidates as expected late on Tuesday or on Wednesday.
