AIADMK candidate files nomination for RS seat, backed by

In a dramatic political development in Puducherry, former allies AIADMK and AINRC backed a common candidate for the September 28 Rajya Sabha election, raising eyebrows about a possible political realignment in the Union Territory.
In a statement in Chennai, AIADMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said the party's Parliamentary Board had decided to field N Gokulakrishnan as its candidate for the election.
In Puducherry, Gokulakrishnan filed his nomination for the biennial poll, accompanied by Chief Minister N Rangasamy and his ministerial colleagues.
His nomination was proposed by Puducherry AIADMK legislature party leader P Purushothaman, AIADMK Deputy legislature party leader A Anbalagan and MLA Om Sakthi Segar.

Gokulakrishnan had earlier enrolled himself as an AIADMK member at a separate venue in the town. He joined AIADMK in the presence of two Ministers from Tamil Nadu, R Kamaraj and M C Sampath.
Rangasamy told media that Gokulakrishnan has filed the papers as AIADMK nominee.

"We are supporting his candidature," he said.
Returning Officer S Mohandoss told mediapersons that five nominations had been filed for the seat since the process of election began with publication of the statutory notification on September 10.
The candidates are: Dr K Padmarajan from Mettur (Tamil Nadu), Simon Chittbabu, J N Dharmarajan, K Gnanasekaran (all filed papers as Independents) and N Gokulakrishnan (AIADMK).

All India N R Congress (AINRC) had contested the Assembly poll in 2011 in alliance with AIADMK, but ditched the party during ministry formation even as it secured outside support of an Independent. AINRC has a strength of 15 in the 30 member Assembly, including the Speaker.
This is the first time after a 38-year gap that AIADMK is seeking election to Rajya Sabha from Puducherry when party nominee V P M Samy was elected in 1977 to the upper house.
After Gokulakrishnan (61), an industrialist filed his papers, the CM, Ministers and AIADMK functionaries greeted him and presented him with shawls.

Nominations will be scrutinised tomorrow, while the last date for withdrawals is September 21.
The election has been necessitated as the term of office of sitting member P Kannan ends on October 6.