Chennai: Rajya Sabha nominations of 8 candidates accepted

Chennai: The nominations of eight candidates, including DMK’s Kanimozhi and CPI’s D Raja, for the 27 June biennial elections to six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu, were today accepted after scrutiny. Other accepted nominations were that of AIADMK candidates KR Arjunan, R Lakshmanan, K Thangamuthu, V Maitreyan and T Rathnavel and DMDK’s A R Elangovan, Returning Officer and Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretary AMP Jamaludeen said in a release. [caption id=“attachment_883435” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rajya Sabha PTI[/caption] The nominations of five Independent candidates were rejected since they did not comply with the rules. The last day for withdrawal of nominations is 20 June. Elections, if needed, would be conducted between 9 am and 4 pm on 27 June, he added. The elections seem headed for a contest following main opposition party DMDK led by actor-turned- politician Vijaykanth entering the fray on the last day of filing nominations on Monday. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had on Monday agreed to withdraw the candidature of Thangamuthu who was nominated for the fifth seat, in favour of CPI’s Raja after he called on her seeking support. PTI