BJP TN chief Tamilisai to take on Kanimozhi in Tuticorin

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, state party chief Tamilisai Soundararajan and national secretary H Raja, known for his rabble rousing speeches, are among the five candidates announced by the BJP Thursday for Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

BJP has been alloted five out of the 39 seats as part of the NDA led by the ruling AIADMK in the state.

The names of the five candidates for Tamil Nadu were part of the first list of nominees announced by senior BJP leader J P Nadda in Delhi Thursday evening.

While Radhakrishnan will seek re-election from Kanyakumari, Soundararajan has been fielded from Tuticorin constituency and Raja from Sivaganga, all in southern Tamil Nadu.

Radhakrishnan had emerged the sole winner for BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the state which contested in allaince with smaller political parties.

A straight contest is expected between the state BJP president and DMK's Rajya Sabha MP and party chief M K Stalin's sister Kanimozhi.

State president of the BJP since 2014, Soundararajan, a gynaecologist, has her roots in southern Tamil Nadu and belongs to the Nadar community who have a significant presence in southern Tuticorin and neighbouring districts.

"I will soon release a vision document for Tuticorin. I am keen to serve the people of Tuticorin which has been a neglected region," Soundararajan told PTI.

She said she will start her campaign from Tuticorin on March 26. BJP workers hailed her nomination saying she is "transparent, accessible and non-corrupt."