By V.M. Khaleelur Rahman for TwoCircles.net,
Chennai: As a big problem cropped up in the party, the Congress replaced candidates in three constituencies Tiruthani, Krishnagiri and Colachel from its first list of 60 candidates in a bid to satisfy the angry party men. Now the new candidates are Dr. E.S.S. Ramanan, Maqbool Jan and J.G. Prince in these constituencies respectively.
Earlier a Muslim lady, a newcomer, Haseena Syed had been given Krishnagiri constituency but it was resented by a section of the party men. Hence Maqbool Jan, a popular figure and a close aide of TNCC chief K.V. Thangkabalu was preferred and given the ticket.
In the second and final list of three candidates, the party nominated 1) Kanchi G.V. Mathiyazhagan for Poonamallee (SC) 2) Senthil Kumar for Tirupur (South) and 3) Hassan Ali, sitting MLA from Ramanathapuram has been retained.
Groupism is said to be the cause for the violent protest against the selection of candidates in the first list. The TNCC chief K.V. Thangkabalu appealed to party men to shun violence and gear up for poll campaign.