T.N. Assembly election: AIADMK fields new face in Sengottaiyan’s stronghold of Gobichettipalayam

The AIADMK has fielded V.B. Prabhu, a new face, for the Gobichettipalayam Assembly constituency for the election, where he is likely to face K.A. Sengottaiyan, an eight-time MLA from the constituency. After his expulsion, Mr. Sengottaiyan joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), where he has submitted his application to contest in the election.

On Friday, the AIADMK also announced other candidates including R. Manoharan (Erode East) and P. Haribaskar (Anthiyur). Sitting MLAs S. Jayakumar (Perundurai) and A. Bannari (Bhavanisagar) will also contest. The party earlier announced K.C. Karuppannan for Bhavani.

The party has allotted Erode West to the Tamil Maanila Congress, which has named M. Yuvaraja, while the BJP is yet to announce its candidate for Modakkurichi.

Mr. Prabhu, who joined the AIADMK in 2002, rose through the ranks to serve as deputy secretary of the party’s student wing for a decade. Over the past six months, he was the West Union secretary for Gobichettipalayam constituency. This will be Mr. Prabhu’s debut contest from the constituency as the AIADMK nominee.

In for a tough fight

Mr. Prabhu is expected to face a stiff challenge from Mr. Sengottaiyan, who has lost only once in the constituency, in 1996, in a career spanning over five decades.