Tamil Nadu: BJP alliance candidate and former AIADMK leader and ex Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS), filed his nomination from Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat on Monday. Panneerselvam handed over his nomination to Ramanathapuram District Collector P Vishnuchandran.
Speaking to the media, he said, "I am contesting in Ramanathapuram constituency on behalf of AIADMK Volunteer Rights Rescue Committee, I will strive to bring back all the projects that were lost in this constituency and not only that, I will take forward the problem of rescue of fishermen who are suffering daily in the coastal area. I told this to PM Modi, who will take office as Prime Minister for the third time."
He further said that he will bring welfare schemes for the people of this constituency. OPS is in alliance with the BJP and is contesting the seat as an independent after losing a case in Madras High Court for retaining the flag and letterhead of the AIADMK.
Meanwhile, former Telangana and Puducherry Governor and BJP candidate from South Chennai Tamilisai Soundararajan filed her candidature for the Lok Sabha elections and said that she resigned from the governor's post because she wanted to "work directly for the people of the state."
"The people want PM Modi to be Prime Minister again. South Chennai is a constituency with very responsible people and they're longing for a good parliamentarian. The present MP is not very approachable. I will be very approachable. When I was in a constitutional post, I also used to interact with people. I resigned from the governor's post because I want to work directly for the people," Soundararajan told ANI on Monday.
Karti Chidambaram, son of veteran Congress Leader P Chidambaram, also filed his nomination from the Sivaganga Lok Sabha seat here on Monday. Voting for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will be held in the first phase of the general elections on April 19.
In the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, comprising the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state. In 2019, DMK won 23 Lok Sabha seats with a 33.2 per cent vote share, Congress bagged 8 seats with a 12.9 per cent vote and CPI won two seats in Tamil Nadu.
The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of the votes will take place on June 4.
