The Congress has named Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram as its candidate from Sivaganga constituency. The Congress high command had not been able to finalise the candidate for Sivaganga because of competing claims made by Karti Chidambaram and another former Union Minister E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, who was elected from the constituency in 1999.
Sudarsana Natchiappan has opposed Karti's nomination. Following this, former TNCC president S Thirunavukkarasar has said Natchiappan should bury the difference and work for the victor of Karti. Karti Chidambaram is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI in several cases, including one relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds to the tune of Rs. 305 crore when his father was the finance minister.
Though the candidates for eight constituencies allotted for the Congress were announced on Friday late night, Sivaganga was kept on hold due to differences within the party. Congress leaders toyed with the idea of allotting the seat to Chidambaram's bete noire Sudarsana Natchiappan but finally sided with Chidambaram. Congress's latest candidate list contains four candidates from Maharashtra, three from Bihar and one each in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir.
