MK AZHAGIRI, SON OF DMK CHIEF AND chief minister M Karunanidhi, former IT minister Dayanidhi Maran, sitting ministers A Raja, T R Baalu, S S Palanimanickam and business magnet S Jagathrakshakanof Accord Group figure among the 21 candidates for the LS elections released by the party on Sunday.
    This time the party will be contesting five seats more against 16 contested and won in the 2004 elections. The party has dropped sitting ministers S Raghupathy, Radhika Selvi, Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan besides MP Kuppuswamy who won from North Chennai in 2004 poll.
    Mr Azhagiri contesting any election for the first time has not come as a surprise to party and political circles considering his growing clout within the party, especially in southern districts. He has been fielded from Madurai LS seat, where CPM is expected to take on him in alliance with AIADMK, MDMK, PMK and CPI. Following the big win of DMK in the by-election to Tirumangalam assembly constituency, Mr Azhagiri was given a party post as its south zone organising secretary.
    As part of the delimitation process, Baalu, who won from South Chennai, has been shifted to the newly created Sriperambadur constituency, where PMK has fielded its senior leader and former railways Minister A K Murthy. Similarly, A Raja, who won from the reserved Perambalur constituency, has been shifted to the newly created Nilgiris seat.
    Dayanidhi Maran has been given his existing Central Chennai seat while R S Bharathi has been rewarded with the South Chennai constituency. For the workers-dominated North Chennai seat, DMK has nominated T K S Elangovan. CPI is likely to field its state secretary and former MP D Pandian from the constituency. Among others, actor D Napoleon, who was once an MLA from Chennai, will be contesting from Perambalur and another upcoming actor, Ritheesh, from Ramanathapuram. Union Minister of State for finance, Palanimanickam, will be contesting from Tanjore and sitting MP and Karur KCP promoter, K C Palanisamy, from Karur.
    Jagathrakshakan, who runs educational institutions, hotels (Accord Metropolitan in Chennai) and industries and who recently joined DMK, will be standing from Arkonam where PMK has fielded minister of state for railways, R Velu. DMK will also be contesting from Tiruvannamalai.