Thursday, March 30 2006 14:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Four POTA detenues, arrested along with the MDMK chief Vaiko in 2002, found a place in the list of 35 candidates released by the party here for the May 8 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. A Ganesamurthy (former MP and Erode District Secretary), M Boominathan (Madurai Urban District Secretary), Veera Ilavarasan (Madurai Rural District Secretary) and S Seventhiappan (Sivaganga District Secretary), all arrested with Vaiko, were those rewarded with the MDMK tickets.

All of them were present at a public meeting at Tirumangalam in June 2002, when Vaiko praised the efforts of the LTTE for safegaurding the interests of Sri Lankan Tamils. Vaiko and others were arrested under POTA for their speech.

Incidentally, all places connected with Vaiko's arrest had been given to the MDMK.

Tirumangalam, where Vaiko addressed the controversial meeting, would be contested by Veera Ilavarasan, who organized the meeting.

Tambaram constituency, under which falls the Meenambakkam airport where Vaiko was arrested, would be contested by MDMK Kancheepuram district secretary Palavakkam Somu.

Vellore, where Vaiko was lodged in the central prison, would be contested by N Subramani, MDMK district secretary.

Poonamalee, where the POTA trial was conducted, would be fought by Tiruvallur district secretary D R R Senguttuvan.

The list announced last night also contained the names of party treasurer M Kannappan (Tondamuthur) and deputysecretaries Mallai Sathya (Egmore) and Nazareth Durai (Sattankulam).