Tamil Nadu assembly polls: AIADMK, DMK change list of candidates

The proverb 'There's many a slip between the cup and the lip' is turning out to be true for candidates of the two Dravidian behemoths -- ruling AIADMK and DMK -- with both the parties changing the list of contestants in the May 16 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu

Though such musical chair of sorts has been witnessed in AIADMK in the past elections too, this time the change fever has gripped DMK, generally known for its crisp planning, also.

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AIADMK has revised the list six times, tinkering with the candidates for a number of constituencies after announcing the list earlier this month.

The M Karunanidhi-led DMK not only changed its candidates for Arakkonam and Sholavandan Reserved segments besides Orathanadu, but has also announced it will field its nominee in Ulundurpet, allotted to Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).

The party will face-off with DMDK founder Vijayakant who had shut the doors on it despite Karunanidhi remaining confident of a tie-up till the actor-politician embraced the four-party People's Welfare Front (PWF).

AIADMK, for its part, has changed party nominees six times since its supremo J Jayalalithaa released the candidates' list on April 4, with the latest revision coming yesterday.

However, Jayalalithaa had in the past elections too replaced candidates, without mentioning any reason.

While both DMK and AIADMK have not officially disclosed the reasons for changing the candidates, it is learnt that local factors play a vital role in such matters.