CHENNAI: DMK on Saturday released its list of 164 candidates for the assembly elections on April 23, retaining most ministers and party seniors, while opting for more than 60 first timers.

Three ministers - N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, T Mano Thangaraj and R Gandhi - were denied seats. Of those who recently crossed over from AIADMK, three-time chief minister O Panneerselvam was given Bodinayakanur, Paul Manoj Pandian Alangulam and R Vaithilingam Orathanadu.Releasing the list, chief minister M K Stalin told reporters, "Though we are late, we are the latest". Stalin said there were many alliance parties with whom they needed to discuss the number of seats and had to satisfy everyone.

Stalin said 2021 was a mega alliance and this alliance is a "mega mega alliance". He said he would release DMK's poll manifesto on Sunday and start his campaign from March 31. He said deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin will commence his campaign from April 1 and DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi from March 30.In Chennai, DMK has retained 11 candidates, including Stalin, Udhayanidhi, ministers Ma Subramanian and P K Sekarbabu.

The oldest candidate is 86-year-old water resources minister Duraimurugan and the youngest 26-year-old V Kokila Mani in Avanashi. Nineteen of the candi-dates are women. Du-raimurugan is contest-ing for a record 13th consecu-tive time since 1971. He won 10 times. R Gandhi’s son Vinoth Gandhi was given a seat again in Ranipet. Similarly, former minister K Ponmudy’s son Pon Gautam Sigamani was given a seat instead of Ponmu-dy in Tirukkovilur constitu-ency.

Periyasamy’s son I P Senthil was shifted from Pala-ni constituency to Dindigul constituency, where he will have a direct fight with former AIADMK minister Dindigul C Srinivasan.

Former assembly speaker Sedapatti R Muth-iah’s son Sedapatti M Manim-aran has been fielded in Tiru-mangalam. Former Dharma-puri MP S Senthil Kumar was given a seat in Palacode. Among the 164 candidates, 125 were graduates.

Among them, 15 were doctors, 17 were engi-neers, 29 lawyers and seven PhD holders. While DMK has given seats to four Muslim candidates, its allies have giv-en six seats to Muslim candi-dates. Congress and VCK are yet to announce their lists