5 Panneerselvams contesting from Tamil Nadu. One of them was chief minister

O Panneerselvam, former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, who has submitted his nomination as an independent candidate for the Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency, faces not only significant political opponents but also contends with four individuals who share his name.

According to the updated data from the Election Commission, Ochappan Panneerselvam, Oyya Thevar Panneerselvam, Ocha Thevar Panneerselvam, and Oyyaram Panneerselvam are among those who share a similar name with the former chief minister.

Oyyaram Panneerselvam is a resident of Ramanathapuram district, while the other three individuals hail from the Madurai district in Tamil Nadu. All five of them are running as independent candidates. The four namesakes submitted their nominations on March 26, one day after the expelled AIADMK leader filed his papers.

The former chief minister, originally from Theni district, has listed bucket, jackfruit, and grapes as his preferred symbols for allocation by the election authorities. These symbols are available free of charge. Ocha Thevar Panneerselvam has also selected the exact same symbols as his preferences.

Supporters of the former CM have alleged that the simultaneous filing of nominations by four individuals sharing the same name as the former AIADMK coordinator cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. They suggest it may be a deliberate strategy orchestrated by those they perceive as betrayers, potentially alluding to the AIADMK led by its chief, Edappadi K Palaniswami.

The 74-year-old former chief minister, who is currently embroiled in a legal battle against his expulsion from the AIADMK, has forged an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In total, 23 candidates have submitted their nominations in Ramanathapuram. This includes Kani K. Navas, the Indian Union Muslim League nominee allied with the ruling DMK, and P Jayaperumal from the main opposition AIADMK.

In the official candidate list, only the letter 'O' will be prefixed to their names, following standard practice. Voters will rely solely on the candidates' photographs and their individual symbols to distinguish between them.

The occurrence of candidates with names similar to prominent contestants filing nominations is a common phenomenon observed in nearly all elections.

The Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu are scheduled for April 19.

(With inputs from PTI)