Chennai: The prominent faces who have got DMK party tickets include party principal secretary K. Duraimurugan, former ministers I. Periyasamy, K. Ponmudy, K..N. Nehru, Thangam Thennarasu, A.V. Velu. K.K.S.S.R, Ramachandran and M.R.K. Panneerselvam, besides former Speaker R. Avudaippan and former deputy Speaker V.P. Duraisamy.
Other former ministers who have been nominated again are K.P.P. Samy, D.M. Anbarasan, K. Pichandi, M.P. Swaminathan, U. Madhivanan, Durai.
Chandrasekaran, K.R. Periyakaruppan, P. Geetha Jeevan, Dr Poongothai and N. Sureshrajan. Former Mayor M. Subramanian has been fielded in Saidapet, while actor Vaagai Chandrasekar will be in the race from Velachery.
Former AIADMK ministers S. Muthusamy and Anitha Radhakrishnan have found a place in the list, while R. Masilamani who crossed over from the MDMK has been given a chance. All other defectors from the MDMK and their relatives have been ignored.
Surprise omissions include former minister N. Palanichamy, R.S. Bharathi and E. Sugavanam while party general secretary K. Anbazhagan had declined to contest. A little known face Simla Muthu Cholan has been fielded from R.K. Nagar where Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa is contesting.
In Chennai, a lesser known face K.S. Ravichandran has been preferred over spokesperson Thamizhan Prasanna. Former AIADMK MLA P,K. Sekarbabu has been fielded in Harbour, while Ku,Ka, Selvam will take on minister Valarmathi. In Anna Nagar where minister Gokula Indira is in the fray, a new face M.K. Mohan would contest.
Most of the new faces are from the northern region, especially, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore and Salem where the party fared poorly in the 2011 Assembly elections. Fresh candidates have been fielded from Kongu belt, where the DMK finished third in three Parliament seats in the 2014 elections.
