Chennai, June 6 (UNI) All the six candidates--three from the ruling DMK, one from its ally, the MNM

of actor-politician Kamal Haasan and two from the Opposition AIADMK--filed their nomination papers to fill up six vacancies for the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections from the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday.

Those who filed their papers before the Returning Officer were sitting DMK MP and Senior Counsel

P Wilson, re-nominated for a second term, Party Salem district Secretary S. R. Sivalingam, party

functionary and noted Tamil writer and poet Salma, actor Kamal Haasan, who is all set to enter the

Upper House of Parliament for the first time and AIADMK's Legal Wing Secretary I.S. Inbadurai and

Chengalpattu East District Presidium Chairman M. Dhanapal.

The candidates were accompanied by their respective Party Chiefs including Tamil Nadu Chief

Minister and DMK President M K Stalin, along with senior Ministers and Party leaders, and AIADMK

General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and party seniors.

Since there will be a no contest, all the six candidates were all set to be elected unopposed to the

Rajya Sabha.

According to Mr Stalin, Kamal's party MNM was allotted one RS seat as per the poll pact agreed

upon during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Soon after the announcement, the MNM Executive Committee met and adopted a resolution announcing Kamal as the party's candidate for the seat following which he filed the papers today, along with the three DMK candidates.

The actor-politician is all set to enter the Parliament for the first time.

This meant that MDMK Founder Vaiko, whose term ends on July 24 along with five others, was not given a seat this time.

As expected the AIADMK decided to contest both the seats and announced it candidates that left its

ally, the DMDK, frettering which had been claiming that it was promised a RS seat, a point denied by

the AIADMK.

However, as the AIADMK's decision to contest both the seats left the DMDK of late-actor-politician

Vijayakanth frettered, Mr Palaniswami, in a bid to retain its ally in the fold, swiftly announced that

the DMDK would be given a Rajya Seat in 2026.

He also said the DMDK will continue to remain in the AIADMK-led alliance and it would allot a RS

seat to it in 2026.

The DMDK had been stating that the AIADMK as part of the 2024 Lok Sabha poll pact has agreed

to allot one RS seat in 2025, a point which was denied by Mr Palaniswami, who had said no such

commitment was given to it.

DMDK General Secretary Ms Premalatha Vijayakanth, who had been reiterating that the AIADMK

had indeed given a commitment, said it was the duty of the alliance leader to honour that commitment, while being non-committal on continuing in the alliance and announced that the

DMDK's poll strategy and alliance will be announced at the party's conference in Cuddalore district

in January 2026.

However, with Mr Palaniswami clearing the air and promised a RS seat next year, the DMDK was

expected to stay in the alliance, which also has the BJP as a key partner.

Going by their strengths, the DMK-led alliance could win four seats in the 234-member Assembly--three by DMK and its ally MNM (one) and Opposition AIADMK-Two.

The AIADMK, with 66 members (including four from ousted leader O Panneerselvam), could also easily win two seats, with the support of its ally, the BJP, which has four MLAs.

A candidate required support of 34 Legislators to win the RS polls.

Going by its strength, the DMK could comfortably win four seats--three on its own and another one with the support of its allies.

DMK’s strength in the assembly is 133, its allies, Congress has 17 MLAs, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal

Katchi of Thol Thirumavalavan (4), CPI and CPI(M) two each, besides other partners, including

MDMK,more than what is required.

Of the six incumbent MPs, five are from the DMK, (including one held by its ally MDMK) and the

AIADMK's former ally, the PMK held one seat.

The term of six MPs from Tamil Nadu--Dr Anbumani Ramadoss (PMK), M Shanmugam,

N Chandrasegharan, M Mohammed Abdulla, P Wilson (all DMK) and Vaiko (MDMK)--

will expire on July 24.

The filing of nominations for the elections to the Upper House of Parliament would began on

June two with the issuance of the notification, according to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer

Ms Archana Patnaik.

The last date for filing of nominations was June 9 and the scrutiny would take place the

next day.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 12.

The elections, if necessary would be held on June 19 and the counting would take place

the same day, Ms Archana Patnaik said.

UNI GV 1430