Kanimozhi files nomination for Rajya Sabha polls

Kanimozhi, daughter of DMK president M. Karunanidhi, Saturday filed her nomination for the June 27 Rajya Sabha elections in the state.

Kanimozhi is one of the six Rajya Sabha members in the state who will retire next month.

A total of six members including Kanimozhi would retire next month. They are Elavarasan and V. Maitreyan from the AIADMK, Tiruchi N. Siva and Kanimozhi from the DMK, B.S. Gnanadesikan of the Congress and D. Raja of the Communist Party of India.

The AIADMK's five candidates - V. Maitreyan, K.R. Arjunan, T. Rathinavel, R. Lakshmanan and Thangamuthu - filed their nomination papers Wednesday.

While the AIADMK has a strength of 151 (including the speaker) in the 235-member house, the DMDK has 29 legislators, the DMK 23, CPI-M 10, CPI 8 and Congress 5.

A candidate needs 34 votes to get elected, and AIADMK is expecting to romp home with five seats with the help of friendly parties and take its tally in the Rajya Sabha to eight from the current five.

Kanimozhi's election depends on the support the DMK gets from parties like the Congress, DMDK and others.