Senior citizens lead the nominations of Chennai Corporation polls

Dravidian parties contesting in 200 wards of Chennai Corporation have provided seats to senior citizens, who are above 60 years.

DMK leads all other parties and independents in providing seats to senior citizens. The party has fielded senior citizens as candidates in 29 out of 165 wards.

An analysis of the nominations filed in all the 200 wards show that DMK has fielded more senior citizens than the AIADMK, which has provided seats in 27 wards to senior citizens.

AIADMK is contesting in all 200 words, which includes three seats given to its alliance partners, who are contesting on two leaves symbol.

BJP, which is also contesting in 200 seats, has given seats to 12 senior citizens.

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Despite the main political parties giving seats to senior citizens, 94 years old Kamatchi, who is contesting in ward 174 as an Independent candidate, is the senior-most candidate.

After Kamatchi is Sulochana in the ward 113. Solochana is contesting as an Independent and is aged 80. In the same ward, there is also a youngest candidate, Sruthi who is 21 years old.

Among political parties, DMK’s Palani, contesting from the ward 130, is the oldest. He is 74 years old and one of his opponents is Elumalai from the PMK, who is 65 years old.

There are some wards in which the voters will not have a chance other than electing a senior citizen, as all the main political parties have given seats to senior citizens.

In ward 29, both the Dravidian parties’ candidates are senior citizens. DMK has given seat to Thiruvanukarasau, who is 68 years old and AIADMK has given seat to Ethirajan, who is 63 years old.

In ward 90, DMK candidate Rajagopal is 65 years old and the AMMK candidate Santhiaya is also of the same age. There is also an independent who is 71 years old in the same ward.

Ward 108 has three main candidates who are senior citizens. DMK has fielded Sundararajan, who is 60 years old and AIADMK has fielded 61 years old Sampathkumar and AMMK has fielded Chandramohan, who is also 61 years old.

Ward 137 has five candidates who are senior citizens, including an independent. DMK, AIADMK, BJP, and IJK have all fielded senior citizens, and voters in this ward have a tough choice as the winner is likely to be senior citizen.

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In ward 198, DMK’s Raju who is 60 years old is facing two Independents named Sundaram who are 66 and 63 years.

Communist parties which have been given less than five wards have also given chances to their senior party leaders. For example, CPI has given seat to Elumalai, who is 63 years old in the ward 193.