by: Nav Jeevan

BJP’s 3rd Lok Sabha List: Fields Dr Tamilisai from Chennai South, K Annamalai from Coimbatore

  • 20 seats for the BJP, 10 for PMK, 3 for TMC, 2 for AMMK, one each for IJK, NJP and two other smaller parties
  • Senior leaders Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari and Dr AC Shanmugam from Vellore

NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, MARCH 21

Setting the stage for three-cornered contests on charismatic Prime Minister Narendar Modi’s popularity, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its third list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, including nine names for Tamil Nadu, a state where it is yet to gain a foothold. The announcement comes on the heels of a seat-sharing deal with a handful of smaller parties sans main opposition AIADMK.

The BJP, which will contest 20 of the state’s 39 seats, has fielded former Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan from Chennai South, state party chief K Annamalai from Coimbatore, Union Minister L Murugun from Nilgiri and senior leaders Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari and Dr AC Shanmugam from Vellore.

The seat-sharing deal announced earlier on Thursday, lists 20 seats for the BJP, 10 for PMK, 3 for TMC, 2 for AMMK, one each for IJK, NJP and two other smaller parties.

Vinoj Selvam will contest from Chennai Central, AC Shanmugam from Vellore, C Narasimhan (Krishnagiri), TR Paarivendhar (Perambalur), Nainar Nagendran (Tirunelveli), Pon. Radhakrishnan (Kanniyakumari).

Former Telangana Governor, Soundararjan rejoined the BJP in the presence of Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on March 20.

She had resigned from the saffron party before assuming the office of Governor of Telangana in 2019. She was appointed Lt Governor of Puducherry in 2021.

Polling in Tamil Nadu’s 39 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the first phase on April 19. Notably, the BJP did not win a single seat from Tamil Nadu in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.