Times Chennai E-PaperApril 09, 2009Page 2
Chennai, April 09 :
Ending the nearly fortnightlong suspense and behindthe scene parleys, theOpposition AIADMK todayfinalised the seat-sharingdeal with its principal ally,the MDMK, and releasedthe list of candidates for the23 seats it would becontesting in the May 13Lok Sabha polls in TamilNadu.The agreement,under which the MDMKhas been allotted four LokSabha seats, was inked byAIADMK supremo JJayalalithaa and MDMKGeneral Secretary Vaikothis morning.A joint statementissued by both the leaderssaid, the MDMK wouldcontest from Virudhunagar,Thanjavur, Erode andNilgiris (Reserved)constituencies.The clinching ofthe deal after hectic parleysand mediation by allianceparty leaders, marked theculmination of the seatsharing agreement inAIADMK-led front.The AIADMK,heading the Third Front inthe state, would contest 23seats. It had allotted sevenseats to PMK, which hadrenewed its ties after a gapof eight years, and threeseats each to the two Leftparties-- the CPI and theCPI(M).There wasconsiderable delay infinalising the pact as theMDMK, which had initiallyasked for eight seats, oneseat more than sevenseats given to PMK,refused to scale down itsdemand.However, whenthe AIADMK suggestedthat it could allot only twoseats, Mr Vaiko believed tohave insisted that it beallotted atleast five seats,one more than it hadcontested in the 2004 LokSabha polls.Finally, theAIADMK made it clear thatit could give only four seats.Till the eleventh hour, MrVaiko had demanded thatthe party be allotted onemore seat, but the AIADMKturned down the request,party sources said.The MDMK,which was in the DMK-ledDPA during the 2004 LokSabha polls, quit the DMKfront, prior to the 2006Assembly elections, afterdifferences with the DMKleadership, over allottmentof seats and joined theAIADMK-led front.The AIADMKwould contest fromTiruvallur (Reserved),South Chennai, CentralChennai, Kancheepuram(Reserved), Vellore,Krishnagiri, Arni,Villuppuram (Reserved),Salem, Namakkal,Tiruppur, Pollachi,Dindugul, Karur, Trichy,Perambalur, Cuddalore,Mayiladuthurai,Sivaganga, Theni,Ramanathapuram,Tuticorin and Tirunelveli.Ms Jayalalithaa, afterclinching the much-awaited deal with theMDMK, wasted no time inreleasing her partycandidates list and hermonth-long campaigntrail, beginning from April16 in the city.She wouldextensively cover all theconstituencies, startingfrom Southern Tirunelvelion April 18 beforeculminating herelectioneering on May 10in the city.There were nosurprises in thecandidates list, which,however, figure severalnew names.Whilenominating old faces forthe constituenciescoming under thesouthern districts, theparty has nominated twowomen candidates -Nammkaldistrict women's Wingsecretary V VairamThamizharasi fromNamakkal and FormerAssembly Speaker P HPandian's wife DrCynthia Pandian fromTuticorin.Former ministerS Raja Kannappan, whohad recently quit theruling DMK and joinedthe AIADMK, wasrewarded with a ticket.The AIADMK strongmanwould contest from hisfavourite Sivagangaconstituency.A few formerstate ministers and ex-Rajya Sabha membersfigure among the list ofcandidates. FormerUnion Minister andparty's propagandasecretary MThambidurai, MLA,would contest from Karur,while former RajyaSabha members O SManian and star speakerand film comedian S SChandran would contestfrom Mayiladuthurai andCentral Chennairespectively.She alsonominated former RajyaSabha member ThangaTamizhselvan fromTheni. Mr Tamizhselvan,who had won fromAndipatti in 2001 after MsJayalalithaa wasdisqualified fromcontesting the Assemblypolls, had resigned hisseat, paving way for theparty supremo's victory inthe subsequent bypolls.Ms Jayalalithaarewarded him with aRajya Sabha seat andhas now nominated himfor the Theni seat.Former stateminister S Semmalaiwould contest fromSalem, while seniorleader and former MP VSathiyamurthy fromRamanathapuram.Former DMKminister Dr ERamakrishnan, who had joined the AIADMK andwon the 1991 Assemblyelection fromAcharapakkam, wouldcontest from theKancheepuram(Reserved) seat, formerMLA C Sivasami fromTiruppur and formerminister M C Sampathwould contest fromCuddaloreFollowing is thelist of AIADMKcandidates: R Rajan(Thiruvallur-Reserved),S Rajendran (SouthChennai), S S Chandran(Central Chennai), Dr ERamakrishnan(Kancheepuram-Reserved), S K M P Vasu(Vellore), K Nanjegowda(Krishnagiri), NSubramanian (Arni), PMurugan (Villuppuram-Reserved), S Semmalai(Salem), Ms V VairamTamizharasi (Namakkal),C Sivasami (Tiruppur), KSugumar (Pollachi), PBalasubramani(Dindigul), MThambidurai (Karur), PKumar (Tiruchirapalli), RP Marudhairaj(Perambalur), M CSampath (Cuddalore), OS Manian(Mayiladuthurai), R SRaja Kannappan(Sivaganga), ThangaTamizhiselvan (Theni), VSathyamurthy(Ramanathapuram), MsCynthia Pandian(Tuticorin) and KAnnamalai (Tirunelveli).
Chennai, April 9 :
Morethan 50Gastroenterologists fromacross the countryarrived in the city as partof the 'Chennai DigestiveDiseases Week 2009',which began here today.The event wasorganised by the TamilNadu chapter of IndianSociety ofGastroenterology inassociation with WorldGastroenterologyOrganisation (WGO).OrganisingCommittee Chairman DrK R Palaniswamy toldreporters here that duringthe event, WGOPresident Dr EamonnQuigley would deliver alecture on the impact oflife style disorders anddigestive health.The eventwould be formallyinaugurated by the TamilNadu Governor SurjitSingh Barnala tomorrow.There would bea two-day trainingprogramme for the 50specialists on the use ofEndoscopic UltraSonogram (EUS).The main aim ofthe training programmewas to educate thespecialists on the use ofthe new technologywhich was practised onthe diagnosis of Cancerof the Oesophagus,Brochogenic Carcinoma,
AIADMK inks poll pact withMDMK, announces candidates
Gastric Cancer and RectalCancer.A live course onEndoscopic UltraSonography has also beenorganised from ApolloHospitals to educate thespecialists.The event wouldconclude with anInternational ContinuingMedical Educationprogramme that wouldhave participation frominternational and Indianexperts, discussing on theadvances in GastroOesophageal RefluxDisorder, Irritable BowelSyndrome (IBS),Diventicular diseases.
-Agencies
'Chennai Digestive DiseasesWeek 2009' begins
Sivaganga, April 09:
Actor-turned politicianand founder of DMDKVijayakant has said hisparty was ready toboycott the Lok Sabhaelections in Tamil Naduon the Sri Lankan Tamil'sissue, if the AIADMK andDMK also do so."We are readyto boycott the electionson the Sri Lankan issue,but we need the supportof the DMK and theAIADMK," he said, at anelection meeting here onWednesday night."When theTamils are getting killedin Sri Lanka, the politicalparties in Tamil Nadu areholding alliance talks,"Mr. Vijayakant, whoseparty is going it alone inthe polls, said.He challengedthe Congress, DMK andAIADMK to fight theelections alone.
Chennai, April 09:
Janata party PresidentSubramanian Swamy onThursday criticisedMDMK leader Vaiko'scomments at a publicmeeting here, warning ofa "bloodbath in TamilNadu if anythinghappened" to LTTEleader V Prabhakaranand demanded hisdetention under theNational Security Act.In a partystatement here, Mr.Swamy termed Vaiko'sremarks on Wednesdayas "highly objectionable,anti-national," anddeserving legal action.Mr. Swamy saidPrabhakaran was a"proclaimed offender"who was wanted in theRajiv Gandhiassassination case, andwarning of a 'bloodbath'in Tamil Nadu if he washarmed amounted to"incitement of violenceand disloyalty to thenation."Terming thestatement made by Vaikoas "offensive," Mr.Swamy urged the ChiefMinister M Karunanidhito initiate legal actionagainst the MDMKleader and detain himunder the NSA.
Swamy flaysVaiko'scomments
Stating that hehad faith only in thepeople, he asked thevoters "do you have faith inme."The government,which was offering one KGrice for Rs one was notcaring about theexhorbitant prices of otheressential things, mainlywater, cotton seed andanimal feed.
-Agencies
DMDK ready to boycott pollson Tamils issue: Vijayakant
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