Six elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from TN

Chennai: Six candidates nominated by the DMK, AIADMK, Congress, PMK, and DMDK were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on Friday. The nominations of seven independent candidates, including the personal assistant of PMK founder S Ramadoss, P Swaminaathun, were rejected due to deficiencies.

DMK alliance, with 158 MLAs, could secure four RS seats. In the DMK camp, veteran Tiruchi Siva and J Constandine Ravindran secured unopposed victories. Due to the pre-poll arrangement between the DMK and DMDK, party treasurer L K Sudhish became the first MP from the DMDK. Similarly, Congress functionary Christopher Manickam, another DMK ally, also secured a seat.


AIADMK veteran and former deputy Speaker M Thambidurai was also elected. Following a pre-poll deal struck by the AIADMK and PMK, PMK president and former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss, an AIADMK ally, returned to the Upper House for the third time. Sowmiya Anbumani, who was named as an alternate candidate for her spouse, withdrew her nomination. This withdrawal occurred before the scrutiny of nominations from 14 candidates. With no valid independent candidates remaining, the election concluded without any polling.