Tiruchi Siva, Thambidurai likely to be renominated to RS

CHENNAI: DMK is preparing to nominate senior functionary Constandine Ravindran and re-nominate Tiruchi N Siva to Rajya Sabha, while AIADMK is likely to re-nominate former Union minister M Thambidurai and PMK its president Anbumani Ramadoss to the upper House, multiple sources told TOI. Election to six Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled for Mar 16.

DMK is awaiting Congress decision on a third seat by Tuesday while it has allocated one Rajya Sabha seat to DMDK.
“The deadline for nominations is Thursday, Mar 5, and we require at least two days for legal paperwork,” a DMK leader said, adding that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to chief minister M K Stalin on Sunday to extend his birthday greetings.


The DMDK is likely to nominate party leader Premalatha’s son Vijaya Prabhakaran or her brother L K Sudhish.

DMK’s decision to nominate Constandine Ravindran, a former DMDK functionary who joined DMK in 2016, came after he lost Ambattur seat in the assembly election that year. Ravindran currently serves as secretary of media and public relations wing of DMK and is editor of The Rising Sun, an English fortnightly.

“Ravindran was told to get ready with the papers,” said a DMK functionary.

Siva, a four-time Rajya Sabha MP, brings parliamentary experience spanning three decades. He served on various committees, including for water resources, privileges, home affairs, and welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Siva was previously elected to Lok Sabha in 1996 from Pudukkottai and was appointed deputy general secretary in April 2025.

The third RS seat for DMK remains undecided, pending Congress response.

“We offered Congress 25 seats for assembly election during the last meeting of seat-sharing committees of both parties. The national party is yet to get back to us. The potential candidate for the third seat will be decided only then.”

Meanwhile, AIADMK sources indicate that M Thambidurai is the most likely candidate for RS nomination, owing to his significant parliamentary experience.

Thambidurai represented the Dharmapuri and Karur Lok Sabha seats five times and served as Union minister of law, justice, and corporate affairs during the Vajpayee regime. He was previously nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2020.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !