Over 3,700 in fray, highest since ‘96 polls

When a whopping 7,151 nominations were received for this election, it was widely expected that the May 16 poll would break the 1996 record, when 5,017 candidates contested. However, 3,028 nominations were rejected during scrutiny leaving only 4,123 valid nominations. After more than 300 candidates withdrew their nominations on Monday, over 3,800 candidates were left in the fray this election. 

The epic 1996 election, when over 5,000 candidates were in the fray, was mainly due to the “Modakurichi phenomenon,” where a whopping 1,033 candidates contested from that assembly segment located in the now Erode Parliamentary constituency. 

Compared to 1996, the 2001 election witnessed only close to a third of the contestants with only 1,860 candidates in the fray. However, since 2001, the number of contestants for Assembly election was steadily on the rise. 

While about 2,586 candidates contested in 2006, as many as 2,748 were in the fray in 2011. It may be noted that a total of 2,834 candidates contested in 1991 general election. Interestingly, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s RK Nagar has emerged as the constituency with most number of contestants for the May 16 poll, as none of the 45 candidates chose to withdraw. 

With the state facing a multi-cornered contest for the first time in all the segments this year, this VIP constituency has more number of independent candidates than others. DMK’s Simla Muthuchozhan and PWF common candidate Dr Vasanthi Devi will face the AIADMK supremo, who is also the sitting MLA. With eight candidates, Arcot, Gudalur and Mayiladuthurai will be the constituencies with minimum number of contestants. In VIP constituencies, 15 candidates will fight it out in Tiruvarur from where DMK chief M Karunanidhi is contesting, 24 in Kolathur (M K Stalin), 25 in Ulundurpet (Vijayakant), 15 in Pennagaram (Dr Anbumani Ramadoss), 10 in Kattumannarkoil (Thol Thirumavalavan). 

Papers of PMK men Abdul Lathif (Ramanathapuram), Sesaiya Bernand (Thoothukudi), Ujjal Singh (Tiruchendur) and A Vasanth (Thuraiyur) were rejected during scrutiny due to discrepancies such as non-disclosure of assets, not attaining the minimum age, and improper filling of forms, etc. 

But, PMK managed to hang on to Thoothukudi and Tiruchendur constituencies, thanks to dummy candidates, Chinnadurai (Thoothukudi) and Kumaragurubara Athithan (Tiruchendur), who are now PMK’s official candidates. 

Since PMK did not have a dummy candidate for Abdul Lathif (Ramanathapuram), PMK has been left unrepresented in Ramanthapuram. In a more embarrassing moment for PMK at Thuraiyur, along with the nomination of PMK candidate A Vasanth, the dummy candidate’s (R Arun) nomination was also rejected as both were under-aged.