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West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates: Tikait who held a rally in key battleground Nandigram, reiterated Mamata Banerjee’s poll clarion call of Khela Hobe while addressing a rally in the CM’s constituency The BJP central election committee’s meeting is underway at the party headquarters in Delhi ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP chief JP Nadda are reportedly present at the meeting. Amid a volatile political atmosphere in West Bengal in the run-up to the Assembly election, Governor Jagdeep Dhankar called for the police and bureaucracy to be “politically neutral”. He tweeted, “Call upon Bureaucracy @MamataOfficial ;Police @WBPolice @KolkataPolice to adhere to rule of law and exhibit “political neutrality” so that our democracy flourishes. All must work to ensure peaceful environment that is quintessential for fair elections that is basis of democracy.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on two-day visit to poll-bound Assam and West Bengal from Sunday during which he will address public meetings and attend other political programmes, the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Saturday. The BJP said Shah will address two public meetings at Margarita and Nazira in Assam on Sunday. He will then leave for Bengal where he will hold a road show in Kharagpur in the evening. On Monday, Shah will address public meetings at Jhargram and Ranibandha in West Bengal before flying to Guwahati where he will address a Town Hall programme. Senior party leaders said Shah and BJP president J P Nadda are also expected to meet the family members of 129 party workers in West Bengal who were allegedly killed in political violence in the sate in the last few years. The West Bengal chief secretary will submit a detailed report on the alleged attack on TMC chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 5 pm on Saturday, India Today reported. The report will be contributed to by the Special Observer and Police Observer appointed by the EC, the report said. The defence minister will address a rally at Sadharu tea estate and another at Dafflaghur tea estate under the Biswanath constituency from where BJP candidate Pramod Borthakur is seeking re-election. Tikait, who is credited with reviving the protest at the Ghazipur site after the Republic Day violence in Delhi, said he will urge people to vote against the BJP. Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay has been asked to furnish details by Saturday about how the incident in Nandigram took place and who could be behind it. Amidst speculation that former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy will contest from Nemom in the 6 April Assembly polls, Puthuppally, his home constituency in Kottayam district, witnessed dramatic scenes on Saturday as a group of Congress workers staged protest near his house and made suicide threats. Financial assistance of Rs 25,000 to one lakh persons going on pilgrimage to major Hindu temples, increase in maternity leave period and assistance, cut in fuel prices and steps to ban NEET were the various promises made by the Dravidian party. Sinha joined his new party a little after noon at the Trinamool Bhawan in Kolkata in the presence of Derek O Brien, Sudip Bandopadhyay and Subrata Mukherjee. Taking a swipe at the BJP, the former Union minister said that the aim of the ruling party seems to be to win elections somehow. All the senior Congress functionaries starting with the Gandhi family members, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and young spokesman Jaiveer Shergill were named as campaigners for West Bengal and Assam. Thomas took a swipe at his former party, claiming that it does not have a regional-party presence in many parts of the country and that its leadership does not know what is happening. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said in New Delhi that the AICC had finalised the names of 81 candidates. “Discussions are on to finalise candidates for remaining 10 seats.The central election committee of the Congress party, chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi, has decided to field 91 congress candidates in Kerala,” Ramachandran said. The report also mentioned that there was no clear footage available of the spot where the incident took place from anywhere in the vicinity, an official of the state CEO’s office said. The West Bengal government’s report to the Election Commission on Friday on the incident at Nandigram in which chief minister Mamata Banerjee was injured has no mention of the “four-five person"s, who she had alleged had attacked her, he said. It, however, referred to the presence of a huge crowd at the spot where the incident took place. Amid an ongoing tussle with alliance partner Congress over the seat-sharing agreement, the Abbas Siddiqui-led Indian Secular Front on Friday released the first list of 26 constituencies it will contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal. The party, however, is yet to name the candidates who will contest from these seats. Seats in the list include Mahisadal, Canning Purba, Bhangar, Metiabruz, Panchla, Uluberia Purba, Basirhat Uttar, Ashoknagar, Amdanga, Asansol Uttar, Entally, Madhyamgram and Khanakul. Party sources said that the ISF has an alliance with the Left Front in these 26 seats. “The 26 seats are out of the 30 constituencies that we got from the Left Front. Our alliance partners will contest the remaining four seats. We decided to announce the names of the seats so that there is no confusion among our supporters,” ISF leader Simul Soren told PTI. Also, by announcing the names of the seats, we have sent a message to our alliance partner Congress, with whom the seat-sharing talks have not been smooth, that we would be contesting from those constituencies so that there is no duplication of alliance candidates, he said. The Congress and the ISF had last week managed to break the ice between them over seat-sharing but talks are still underway for some constituencies. Newly floated ISF had initially demanded 15 seats from the Congress, but the grand old party has agreed to give it only eight. The Left Front has given 30 seats to the ISF from its kitty.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 Updates: 'Don't vote for BJP,' says Rakesh Tikait in Nandigram
Assembly Election 2021 LIVE Updates: Tikait who held a rally in key battleground Nandigram, reiterated Mamata Banerjee’s poll clarion call of Khela Hobe while addressing a rally in the CM’s constituency
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West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP a party of cheats: Rakesh Tikait in Nandigram
Calling BJP “a party of cheats” which hides its sympathy for the rich, Tikait said “We will be on the side of those who oppose BJP, those who will stand by the farmers and the poor.”
“Don’t vote for BJP. If voted to power they will give away your land to big corporates and industries and make you landless. They will hand over the country to big industrialist groups putting your livelihood at stake and in danger,” he said.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Rakesh Tikait holds Mahapanchayat in battleground Nandigram, says don’t vote for BJP
Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader and Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Rakesh Tikait held ‘Mahapanchayat’ ahead of the West Bengal elections in the key battleground Nandigram. Tikait has appealed to people to not support BJP until and unless they repeal the farm law.
Drawing parallels between the East India Company and the BJP, Tikait that the government is currently being run by dacoits and robbers. He said if the government was of any political party they would have definitely engaged with the farmers and accommodated their requests.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP targetting me as I can swing 35% votes: Badruddin Ajmal
“I am not the only target for the BJP, they want to finish me off politically. They know I have a hold on about 35 per cent votes. If it works my way, they will not remain in power. I can sway these votes in favour of the alliance,” Ajmal told NDTV .
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
EC writes to state electoral officers over poll ads
The Election Commission on Saturday reportedly wrote to the chief secretaries and chief electoral officers in the five poll-bound states of Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry about the “equitable opportunity to have access to advertisement spaces for election-related advertisement”.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP doesn’t have any agenda in Assam, says Bhupesh Baghel
Chhattisgarh chief minister and Congress’ observer for the Assam Assembly election, Bhupesh Baghell on Saturday accused the Assam unit of the BJP of being “confused”.
“They (BJP) don’t have any agenda. They should first decide whether Sonowal or Himanta has been the chief minister for the last five years in Assam. BJP is confused and Assam is going to slip out of their hands,” he said.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Samyukta Kisan Morcha holds mahapanchayat in Kolkata
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha held a mahapanchayat in Kolkata against the three farm laws
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Rakesh TIkait says people should vote against BJP
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait was quoted by India Today on Saturday as saying that people in West Bengal should vote against the BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Tikait was reportedly in the Nandigram district to address a kisan mahapanchayat. He added “that he is confident that the people of Bengal will listen to him if farmers get the rightful benefits,” the report said
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP election committee meeting begins in Delhi
The BJP central election committee’s meeting is underway at the party headquarters in Delhi ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP chief JP Nadda are reportedly present at the meeting.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP has to win Bengal to expand ideological footprint, says Dilip Ghosh
West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said that the party has to fulfil its long-cherished mission of winning the state not only to expand its ideological footprint but also to secure India’s eastern borders, which have turned into a “transit point for terror elements” trying to create unrest in the country.
Amid an exodus of TMC members to the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections, Ghosh conceded that the saffron party needs people from other political outfits to come to power in the state, after which it will put an end to the practice.
In an interview with PTI, Ghosh said the BJP’s ideology, its expanding organisational strength, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity are its strengths, while the lack of popular faces in the party at the state, district and local levels is one of the drawbacks for the saffron camp in the elections.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Tamil Nadu Congress leaders protest over candidate selection
Congress MP MK Vishnu Prasad and other leaders protested against state office bearers outside the party office in Chennai over the candidate selection for the 6 April Tamil Nadu Assembly election.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
West Bengal governor calls for ‘political neutrality’
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Congress showed dreams of development, promises fulfilled by PM Modi, says Smriti Irani
Union minister and senior BJP leader Smriti Irani said in a rally in Sivasagar on Saturday the opposition Congress only showed dreams of development during its regime in Assam, but the promises were fulfilled after the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre.
Addressing her second rally during the day ahead of the state assembly elections, the Union textiles minister alleged that the Congress “looted public money” and did not undertake developmental works in Assam during its regime in the state.
“Congress had ruled Assam for years and showed dreams of development. However, development works started only when Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014,” she said.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Amit Shah to begin two-day visit to Assam, Bengal tomorrow
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on two-day visit to poll-bound Assam and West Bengal from Sunday during which he will address public meetings and attend other political programmes, the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Saturday.
The BJP said Shah will address two public meetings at Margarita and Nazira in Assam on Sunday. He will then leave for Bengal where he will hold a road show in Kharagpur in the evening. On Monday, Shah will address public meetings at Jhargram and Ranibandha in West Bengal before flying to Guwahati where he will address a Town Hall programme.
Senior party leaders said Shah and BJP president J P Nadda are also expected to meet the family members of 129 party workers in West Bengal who were allegedly killed in political violence in the sate in the last few years.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
West Bengal chief secy to submit detailed report on Mamata’s injuries
The West Bengal chief secretary will submit a detailed report on the alleged attack on TMC chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 5 pm on Saturday, India Today reported.
The findings will be contributed to by the Special Observer and Police Observer appointed by the EC, the report said.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee meets TMC MP Sisir Adhikari
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee on Saturday met Trinamool Congress MP Sisir Adhikari at his residence, India Today reported.
Adhikari is the father of TMC turncoat Suvendu Adhikari. Suvendu will contest the polls against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Kerala Cong (J) faction releases candidate list for assembly polls
The Kerala Congress (Joseph) group, an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Saturday announced the candidate list for the 6 April state Assembly election with party supremo PJ Joseph fighting the poll from Thodupuzha constituency.
Senior leaders Advocate Monce Joseph MLA, K Franscis George, Thomas Unniyadan are contesting from Kaduthuruthy, Idukki and Irinjalakuda constituencies. MP Joseph, son-in-law of former minister and Kerala Congress supremo, K M Mani, is contesting from Trikaripurconstituency.
The UDF leaders had yesterday announced that as per the seat sharing agreement, 10 seats have been allocated for the Joseph faction of Kerala Congress.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Cong most corrupt party, vote for BJP to continue to avail Central schemes: Smriti Irani
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani on Saturday described Congress as the ‘most corrupt party’ and appealed to the people to vote for the BJP to continue to avail benefits of various central and state schemes.
Addressing her maiden election campaign rally in Assam, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have rolled out a number of schemes, benefitting the poor people of the state.
‘There is no one more corrupt than Congress. Only BJP is the party, which works for the benefit of the poor,’ she said. ‘The BJP government has worked tirelessly for the people in tea gardens across the state,’ said Irani, also the Minister of Women and Child Development. Irani had defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his family seat of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh in 2019 general election.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Rajnath Singh to begin poll campaign in Assam tomorrow
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will start campaigning for the BJP in poll-bound Assam from Sunday when he will address four rallies in Biswanath and Golaghat districts, sources said. Singh’s two of these rallies will be in tea gardens and one in Gohpur, a historical place connected with the Quit India movement.
The defence minister will address a rally at Sadharu tea estate and another at Dafflaghur tea estate under the Biswanath constituency from where BJP candidate Pramod Borthakur is seeking re-election, the sources said.
His third rally will be in Gohpur for BJP candidate Utpal Bora, who is contesting against Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora. The defence minister will address a rally at Dergaon in Golaghat district where he will campaign for the BJP’s Assam ally AGP candidate Bhabendra Nath Bharali.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Rakesh Tikait appeals farmers to vote against BJP, will visit Nandigram
Farmers leading the sustained protests against the Centre’s farm laws at Delhi’s borders have shifted focus to the poll-bound state of West Bengal. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmers’ unions, on Friday urged farmers in the state not to vote for the BJP in the upcoming elections.
Several leaders of the SKM are set to participate in rallies and kisan mahapanchayats across the state on Saturday and Sunday.
Farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh are likely to attend the mahapanchayats in Kolkata’s Bhowanipore, and in Nandigram on Saturday. Similar events will be held in Singur and Asansol on Sunday, PTI reported.
Tikait, who is credited with reviving the protest at the Ghazipur site after the Republic Day violence in Delhi, said he will urge people to vote against the BJP.
Stating that he will not seek votes or campaign for any party, Tikait added that he will hold discussions on the election with “distressed farmers” in the state.
“I will go to Kolkata on 13 March. The clarion call for a decisive struggle will come from Kolkata. We will talk to farmers there and urge them to defeat the BJP,” the BKU leader said.
Read full article here…Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
EC finds Bengal govt report on Mamata ‘attack’ sketchy, reports PTI
The Election Commission has found the report submitted by the West Bengal government on the alleged attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram on 10 March as “sketchy” and asked Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay to elaborate it, PTI reported on Saturday, quoting an unnamed poll official. Firstpost couldn’t verify the information independently.
The chief secretary has been asked to furnish details like how the incident took place and who could be behind it by Saturday, the official told the news agency.
“The report submitted by the West Bengal government appeared to be quite sketchy and without any details of the incident like how it happened or who could be behind it. We have asked the state administration to furnish more details,” the official said, according to PTI.
The state government’s report submitted to the EC on Friday evening referred to the presence of a huge crowd at the spot but has no mention of the “4-5 people”, who Banerjee alleged had attacked her, the official informed the news agency.
This is a developing story. Firstpost has not independently verified the information.
Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Congress to announce its candidates on 14 March: Chandy
Congress leader and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday said that the party will announce its list of candidates for Kerala Assembly polls on Sunday.
“Congress will announce its list of candidates tomorrow in Delhi. You all have to wait to know who will be the candidate in the Nemom constituency,” said Oommen Chandy.
When asked if he will be contesting from the Nemom constituency, he said, “Wait to know who will be the candidate in the Nemom constituency.”
Nemom is one of the ten seats out of 91 that Congress is yet to choose a candidate.
Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
High drama in Puthuppally over speculations of Chandy shifting to Nemom
Amidst speculation that former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy will contest from Nemom in the 6 April Assembly polls, Puthuppally, his home constituency in Kottayam district, witnessed dramatic scenes on Saturday as a group of Congress workers staged protest near his house and made suicide threats.
Nemom constituency, a suburb located in Thiruvananthapuram district, is the lone seat of BJP in the Kerala Assembly.
A large number of party workers and followers including women gathered near his house since morning and raised slogans, saying they would not let their long-time MLA leave Puthuppally to contest in any other segment.
The two-time Chief Minister has been representing Puthupally in the state Assembly for the last 51 years since 1970s.
An emotional supporter even climbed atop the rooftop of his house and threatened to commit suicide, holding party flag
in his hands.
“We will give our life, but not Chandy. He is our dearest leader… we will not let him go to Nemom,” another Congress activist said.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
DMK releases poll manifesto for Tamil Nadu, promises 75% jobs for locals
The opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu on Saturday released its party’s manifesto for the 6 April Assembly elections in the state, making a slew of promises including free computer tablets with data card for students and a law to provide 75 percent of jobs in the state to locals.
Financial assistance of Rs 25,000 to one lakh persons going on pilgrimage to major Hindu temples, increase in maternity leave period and assistance, cut in fuel prices and steps to ban NEET were the various promises made by the Dravidian party.
Releasing the manifesto, Stalin said if his party was voted to power, first generation graduates will be given preference in government jobs, reservation in private sector will also be insisted and promised subsidies for small farmers.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
‘Today’s BJP only believes in crushing and conquering,’ says Yashwant Sinha
“There is no one to stop the government’s wrongdoing. The BJP during Atal ji’s time believed in consensus but today’s government believes in crushing and conquering. The Akalis, the BJD have left the BJP. Today, who is standing with BJP?” Mr Sinha said.
Coming to the elections, he cast doubts on the poll body, too: “I say it with a lot of responsibility that the Election Commission is no longer a neutral body.”
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Yashwant Sinha joins TMC ahead of Bengal polls
Yashwant Sinha, former Union Finance Minister under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Saturday joined the Trinamool Congress weeks ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election.
The 83-year-old former senior BJP leader had quit his party in 2018. His joining the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led party is likely to be viewed as a prize catch for an outfit that has seen a steady outflow of both leaders and cadres in the past few months.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Yashwant Sinha to join TMC ahead of Bengal polls
Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election, former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha is set to join the Trinamool Congress, according to media reports.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Congress veterans do not figure in star campaigners list for Bengal, Assam
As per the list submitted to the Election Commission on Friday, all the senior Congress functionaries starting with the Gandhi family members, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and young spokesman Jaiveer Shergill were named as campaigners for West Bengal and Assam.
But conspicuous was the absence of veterans Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, who is deputy leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, as well as Congress MP and spokesman Tewari.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
DMK releases list for Puducherry polls, names 12 candidates
The DMK on Saturday released its list of 13 constituencies for the April 6 Assembly elections in Puducherry and named 12 candidates.
The party announced nominees for seats including Urulayanpettai, Mudaliarpettai and Raj Bhavan and said in a statement that the candidate for Bagur will be named later.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Mukul Roy and Suvendu Adhikari arrive at JP Nadda’s residence
Bengal BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Suvendu Adhikari also reached at party president JP Nadda’s house in Delhi at 11 am. Amit Shah to also attend meeting ahead of Bengal election.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Assam BJP leaders, Amit Shah meet JP Nadda today
Union Ministers Amit Shah and Jitendra Singh, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, his Cabinet colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma arrived at the residence of BJP chief JP Nadda on Saturday.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Vijayan Thomas quits Congress to join BJP, cites ‘groupism’ in KPCC
Former Kerala Congress leader Vijayan Thomas, who was a general secretary in the party, joined the BJP on Friday.
The BJP has been looking to make inroads among the Christian voters in the southern state. It may field Thomas, who hails from the minority community which has a sizeable presence there, in the assembly polls.
Thomas took a swipe at his former party, claiming that it does not have a regional-party presence in many parts of the country and that its leadership does not know what is happening.
Echoing the views of P C Chacko, another Kerala Congress leader who quit the party recently, that the party is divided into two factions in the state, he said a lot of its senior leaders may leave soon.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Congress’ Kerala final list on 14 March
The Congress will announce the list of candidates for the Assembly elections in Kerala on Sunday. The party was yet to clinch the names of the contestants in 10 seats.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Congress to contest 91 seats in Kerala
The Kerala unit of Congress party is going to contest in 91 out of the 140 constituencies for the 6 April Assembly polls. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said in New Delhi that the AICC had finalised the names of 81 candidates.
“Discussions are on to finalise candidates for remaining 10 seats.The central election committee of the Congress party, chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi, has decided to field 91 congress candidates in Kerala,” Ramachandran said.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Bengal govt submits report on Mamata’s injury to EC, no mention of ‘four-five attackers’
The West Bengal government’s report to the Election Commission on Friday on the incident at Nandigram in which chief minister Mamata Banerjee was injured has no mention of the “four-five person"s, who she had alleged had attacked her, an official of the state CEO’s office said.
It, however, referred to the presence of a huge crowd at the spot where the incident took place, he said.
The report also mentioned that there was no clear footage available of the spot where the incident took place from anywhere in the vicinity, he said.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Bengal polls: ISF releases first list of 26 seats
Amid an ongoing tussle with alliance partner Congress over the seat-sharing agreement, the Abbas Siddiqui-led Indian Secular Front on Friday released the first list of 26 constituencies it will contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal.
The party, however, is yet to name the candidates who will contest from these seats.
Seats in the list include Mahisadal, Canning Purba, Bhangar, Metiabruz, Panchla, Uluberia Purba, Basirhat Uttar, Ashoknagar, Amdanga, Asansol Uttar, Entally, Madhyamgram and Khanakul.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
DMK names candidates for 173 seats; MK Stalin to contest from Kolathur
DMK president MK Stalin will seek a third term from Kolathur constituency while his son Udhayanidhi is set to make his electoral debut as the party released its list of 173 candidates on Friday for the 6 April Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
The DMK hopes to stage a comeback in the polls after a ten-year stint in Opposition.
Nearly half of the 173 nominees are sitting MLAs and the DMK would be locked in direct contest with arch-rival AIADMK in over 100 seats.
Stalin released the candidates’ list at a press conference at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, on a day when the nomination process for the polls started.
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
DMK names candidates for 173 seats; MK Stalin to contest from Kolathur
DMK president MK Stalin will seek a third term from Kolathur constituency while his son Udhayanidhi is set to make his electoral debut as the party released its list of 173 candidates on Friday for the 6 April Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
The DMK hopes to stage a comeback in the polls after a ten-year stint in Opposition.
Nearly half of the 173 nominees are sitting MLAs and the DMK would be locked in direct contest with arch-rival AIADMK in over 100 seats.
Stalin released the candidates’ list at a press conference at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, on a day when the nomination process for the polls started.