The DMK released its list of candidates for 20 seats in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, earmarking four for children of leaders and two for women in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The rest of the 20 constituencies will go to the Congress and other allies.
MK Stalin's sister, MK Kanimozhi, will be one of the two women contesting the polls on party tickets this time. With her Rajya Sabha term ending in July, the journalist-turned-politician will make her electoral debut from Tuticorin. Ironically, the party has allotted just 10% of its total seats for women although it champions the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, which aims to earmark 33% seats for them. "We have only followed the pattern adopted by our founder, M Karunanidhi, who had earlier allotted two seats for women," said MK Stalin by way of an explanation.
And although the DMK has chosen for a mix of familiar faces and debutants for a number of constituencies, it also handed tickets to the sons and daughters of six of its leaders. Besides Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi, the DMK has fielded Kalanithi Veeraswamy (son of DMK leader Arcot N Veeraswami) for Chennai North, Tamizhachi Thangapandian (daughter of late DMK leader Thangapandian for Chennai South, Gautham Sigamani (son of former minister Ponmudi) for Kallakurichi and TM Kathir Anand (son of DMK Treasurer Duraimurugan) for Vellore.