'Tainted' former Telecom ministers--Raja and Maran--in DMK list 20 LS candidates

Former Union Telecom Ministers Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja--who were prime accused in 2G spectrum case--are among 20 names in the first list of candidates released by DMK for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Maran will contest from Central Chennai, while Raja has been fielded from Nilgiris. Raja and Maran had unsuccessfully contested these seats in 2014.

The alleged scam, in which two are the accused, relates to the allocation of 2G spectrum licenses in 2007-08, which according to the Comptroller and Auditor General report, caused a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the public exchequer.

Rajya Sabha MP and the daughter of late DMK chief M Karunanidhi, Kanimozhi is also contesting from Tuticorin. While senior leader TR Balu is returning as a DMK candidate from Sriperumbudur, which he won in 2009

Other candidates include Kalanithi Veeraswamy from Chennai North, Tamiyachi Thangapandiya from Chennai South, Selvam from Kancheepuram and Tenkasi from Dhanush Kumar.

DMK will contest 20 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, while its ally Congress will contest nine seats and also the lone seat in Puducherry.

Pro-Dalit Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI and CPI-M will contest on two seats each, while MDMK, IUML, IJK, and Kongu Makkal Desiya Katchi will contest on one each.

Tamil Nadu will go to polls on April 18 in a single phase, and counting of votes will take place on May 23.