Chennai: Showing the resolve and grit to fight the Assembly elections, 92-year-old DMK leader M. Karunanidhi, on Monday, completed the 11-day marathon interview for selection of candidates, without skipping a single day or session.
He met about 4,000 candidates in the interview which began on February 22, posing questions on several factors, money power of the candidate, caste equations and the present situation in the constituencies during the 11-day interview, which is a record for any party in the country.
On the last day of interview, the leaders including Karunanidhi, DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan, treasurer M.K. Stalin and principal secretary K Duraimurugan, met the candidates belonging to Chennai, Tiruvallur and Puducherry. Though, the number of applications was higher than those interviewed, some of the candidates had applied for three to four seats and many of them had sought ticket for Karunanidhi and Stalin.
However, interview for most of the constituencies could be a waste of time for the veteran leader since the political situation is still fluid and the battle lines are hazy. The DMK has not clinched a deal with Vijayakanth’s DMDK and both the BJP and People’s Welfare Alliance are still hopeful of getting Vijayakanth to their side.
The day started with speculations that Vijayakanth’s emissary and brother-in-law Sudeesh is in Delhi to meet the BJP leaders. But, it was later denied by DMDK leaders. The PWA leaders are issuing statements in support of Vijayakanth and asserting that he would join their front. The DMK had announced that the application fees paid by partymen of constituencies which could be given to allies would be refunded.
