Election campaigning is starting to intensify.
The political temperature in poll-bound Tamil Nadu is expected to go up several notches as major leaders, including Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and DMK President M Karunanidhi, among others, are slated to file their nominations this week and intensify their campaign.
While there is no official word from the ruling AIADMK so far as to when its General Secretary Jayalalalithaa will file her papers, she is expected to do so in this week as nominations close on April 29. Banking on her government's five year achievements in various sectors, including social welfare and infrastructure, Jayalalithaa is leading the charge of her party workers even as she eyes a successive term.
The leader has also been sharply critical of DMK, targeting it on issues like family rule, inter-state river disputes and law and order. Karunanidhi will file his nomination tomorrow afternoon at his native Tiruvarur, a constituency he wants to represent for a consecutive term in the 234-member state assembly. Braving age and related health issues, the 93-year-old leader hit the campaign trail on Saturday, hitting out at the Jayalalithaa government while billing his party as the right alternative. DMK Treasurer MK Stalin will file his nomination for his Kolathur constituency on April 27. DMDK leader Vijayakant and MDMK founder Vaiko are also scheduled to follow suit this week, tentatively on the same day.
Vijayakant and Vaiko are contesting from Ulunthoorpet and Kovilpatti, respectively. DMDK has aligned with Vaiko-led People's Welfare Front (PWF) for the elections. Meanwhile, top leaders of BJP and Congress from Delhi, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi, are slated to address election rallies in the state in May.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will also undertake campaign with his party striving to put up a good show in alliance with DMK. The party had won five seats in the 2011 Assembly polls as part of the DMK alliance.
Top left leaders such as Sitaram Yechury of CPI (M) and B Sudhakar Reddy (CPI) are also expected to address election rallies in May.
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