Four former AIADMK legislators, who were disqualified by Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal in September 2017, were among 15 candidates for the Assembly elections named by the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) on Wednesday in its first list.
The former legislators are: P Palaniappan who was fielded in Pappireddipatti; M. Rengasamy - Papanasam, N. G. Parthiban - Sholinghur, and R. R. Murugan – Harur, according to a release issued by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, general secretary of the AMMK.
Mr. Palaniappan was Higher Education Minister during 2011-16 when Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister. Though he was re-elected in 2016, he was not included in the Cabinet then. Subsequently, he became a prominent member of the camp led by Mr. Dhinakaran, leading to his disqualification from the House.
Other former Ministers who were given the tickets were C. Shanmugavelu in Madathukulam and G. Senthamizhan in Saidapet.
The remaining nine nominees are: S. Anbalagan - Rasipuram; R. Manoharan – Srirangam; K. K. Umadevan - Thirupattur (Sivaganga district); S. K. Selvam – Veerapandi; I. Mahendran – Usilampatti; R. Duraisamy – Coimbatore (South); K. Sugumar – Pollachi; D. K. Rajendran - Dharmapuri and K. S. K. Balamurugan – Bhuvanagiri.
