Chennai: Chennai: MDMK on Wednesday reversed its earlier decision to contest one seat on its own symbol and announced it would instead field candidates in all four constituencies on DMK‘s symbol.The move takes the total number of segments where DMK’s Rising Sun’ symbol would be in fray to 176. MDMK, however, did not spell out the reason behind the change. Chief Minister M K Stalin welcomed the decision, thanking MDMK general secretary Vaiko. He described the move as “magnanimous.” MDMK was allotted Modakurichi, Madurai SOuth, KAdayanallur and Sirkazhi by DMK. Among the four, MDMK had announced that it would field a candidate on their own symbol in Sirkazhi. In a statement, MDMK said its candidate for Sirkazhi constituency, R Senthilselvan, would also contest on DMK’s symbol. The shift marks a departure from MDMK’s earlier stance of negotiating hard with DMK to contest on own symbol. MDMK functionaries in Sirkazhi suggested that electoral pragmatism drove the decision. With limited time left for campaigning, MDMK leaders were wary of the challenge in popularising a relatively unfamiliar symbol among voters. “The candidate is also a new face, and contesting on a new symbol against a former AIADMK MLA could become a disadvantage,” an MDMK leader said.
