<p>Opposition AIADMK has announced two of its senior leaders as the party's candidates for the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha.</p>.<p>Former state Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam, who is the party's Villupuram district secretary and R Dharmar, former district secretary of Ramanathapuram and Mudukalathur panchayat union chairperson, have been named as the official candidates by AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswamy on Wednesday night.</p>.<p>The announcement followed an hour-long discussion held at the party headquarters here along with deputy coordinators K P Munusamy and R Vaithilingam on Wednesday. Of the six vacancies from the state, the ruling DMK and AIADMK have three retiring members each. AIADMK's A Navaneethakrishnan, S R Balasubramoniyan and A Vijayakumar are the three MPs, whose term of office would expire.</p>.<p>The DMK has named three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls and announced allotment of a seat to key ally, the Congress party.</p>.<p>In view of the strength of DMK and its allies (159, including the Speaker) and the AIADMK and its partners (75) in the 234-member Assembly, a contest appears unlikely and all the six vacancies are expected to be filled without a contest.</p>.<p>On May 12, the Election Commission announced biennial elections as the terms of 57 Rajya Sabha members from 15 states were due to expire during June-August 2022.</p>
<p>Opposition AIADMK has announced two of its senior leaders as the party's candidates for the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha.</p>.<p>Former state Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam, who is the party's Villupuram district secretary and R Dharmar, former district secretary of Ramanathapuram and Mudukalathur panchayat union chairperson, have been named as the official candidates by AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswamy on Wednesday night.</p>.<p>The announcement followed an hour-long discussion held at the party headquarters here along with deputy coordinators K P Munusamy and R Vaithilingam on Wednesday. Of the six vacancies from the state, the ruling DMK and AIADMK have three retiring members each. AIADMK's A Navaneethakrishnan, S R Balasubramoniyan and A Vijayakumar are the three MPs, whose term of office would expire.</p>.<p>The DMK has named three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls and announced allotment of a seat to key ally, the Congress party.</p>.<p>In view of the strength of DMK and its allies (159, including the Speaker) and the AIADMK and its partners (75) in the 234-member Assembly, a contest appears unlikely and all the six vacancies are expected to be filled without a contest.</p>.<p>On May 12, the Election Commission announced biennial elections as the terms of 57 Rajya Sabha members from 15 states were due to expire during June-August 2022.</p>