DMK fields Mahesh and Austin in Kanniyakumari district

In a overmuch anticipated announcement DMK has decided to contention successful 2 legislative Assembly constituencies - Kanniyakumari and Nagercoil - successful Kanniyakumari territory for the upcoming Assembly elections.

DMK president and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, connected Saturday, announced R. Mahesh and S. Austin arsenic the candidates for Kanniyakumari and Nagercoil Assembly constituencies, respectively.

R. Mahesh, the incumbent Mayor of Nagercoil Corporation, was the archetypal to clasp the station aft Nagercoil municipality was upgraded to Corporation.

He has served arsenic peculiar authorities pleader (Forest Department), Kanniyakumari territory from 1996 to 2001 and arsenic authorities pleader of Kanniyakumari territory from 2006 to 2009. He was besides organiser of DMK’s Youth Wing, Kanniyakumari territory from 2001 to 2013 and City Secretary of Nagercoil Municipality (now Corporation) since 2008. Currently helium holds the positions of DMK’s District Secretary of Kanniyakumari East territory and the Mayor of Nagercoil Corporation.

Meanwhile AIADMK has renominated its sitting MLA Thalavai Sundaram arsenic Kanniyakumari constituency campaigner and NTK has fielded Maria Jennifer Clara Michael arsenic its campaigner for the aforesaid seat. With Mr. Mahesh entering the fray arsenic DMK candidate, the contention is expected to beryllium tight, arsenic the 3 candidates correspond 3 antithetic salient communities successful the constituency.

For Nagercoil constituency S. Austin has been announced arsenic DMK candidate. In the past Assembly elections helium contested successful Kanniyakumari constituency against Thalavai Sundaram of AIADMK and mislaid by a borderline of 16,210 votes.

Mr. Austin served arsenic Rajya Sabha MP connected an AIADMK summons from 1992 to 1998. But helium switched implicit to MGR-ADMK and was elected arsenic MLA from Nagercoil constituency from 2001 to 2006. But helium rejoined the genitor enactment lone to discontinue and articulation the DMDK. He aboriginal joined DMK and was elected arsenic MLA from Kanniyakumari assembly constituency from 2016 to 2021.

In the remaining 4 seats of the territory allies of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Front volition beryllium contesting. Of these, 3 constituencies person been allotted for Indian National Congress (INC) and 1 has been allocated to CPI(M).

Colachel, Vilavancode and Killiyoor constituencies person been allotted to INC and Padmanabhapuram has been allocated to CPI(M).