DMK, AIADMK to begin shortlisting their candidates for Rajya Sabha election

way2barak, May 27: Biennial elections to fill six Rajya Sabha seats, one third of the seats from Tamil Nadu , are set to fall vacant on July 24. The notification would be issued on June 2 and the last date for filing of nominations would be June 9. Scrutiny would be done the following day. After the last day for withdrawal of nominations (June 12), polling would be held on June 19, if a contest is required.

The ruling DMK and the Opposition AIADMK are expected to begin shortlisting candidates soon. Given the strength of the two parties and their allies in the Assembly, four seats can be bagged by the DMK and the balance by the AIADMK. Each winning candidate has to secure 34 votes in a contest.

The DMK, with 133 MLAs, can comfortably send three nominees to the Rajya Sabha and the fourth nominee will require the support of three more legislators. Its allies — the Congress (17), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (4), and the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPI-Marxist (two each) — have more than what the DMK requires. As for the AIADMK, it has 66 MLAs, including former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and his three colleagues, who are all still recognised as its members. The AIADMK’s ally, BJP, has four legislators, and this would ensure the victory of the second nominee.