DMK candidates for Rajya Sabha polls

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday announced its candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, slated for March 26.

A.A. Jinnah, advocate, and Vasanthi Stanley, member of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, are the DMK nominees, according to a release issued by party president M. Karunanidhi.

The announcement came a few days after Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss urged the DMK to field only one candidate and sought a Rajya Sabha seat for his party. On Friday, Mr Karunanidhi said while the DMK and the Congress would contest two seats each, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) would be given one seat.

Elections are to be held for six Rajya Sabha seats from the State later this month. Filing of nominations began on Saturday. The date of polls is March 26 in the event of a contest.

Born in Tiruvarur, Mr.Jinnah (67), has been a practising advocate since 1970. He was imprisoned for a year for his participation in the anti-Hindi agitation in the late 1970s.

He was a Trustee at the Chennai Port Trust and Member of the Regional Film Censor Board, Chennai.

A post-graduate in English and native of Srivilliputhur, Mrs. Stanley (45) worked as the Assistant Commercial Tax Officer in the Commercial Tax Department for 20 years.

She entered politics in 1995 and held various party posts. At present, she is the Deputy Secretary of the south Chennai unit of the DMK.

Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday appealed to Dr. Ramadoss to accept the DMK president’s stand on the Rajya Sabha seat issue and help strengthen the Democratic Progressive Alliance. Earlier, he met Mr. Karunanidhi.

Mr. Chidambaram told reporters that he was happy over allotment of an additional seat to the Congress.

News Source : Samachar