Tamil Nadu Handlooms Minister R. Gandhi. | Photo credit: C. VENKATACHALAPATHY
Tamil Nadu Handlooms Minister R. Gandhi, who was denied a ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections, managed to file his nominations from his Ranipet constituency at the last minute after his son withdrew from the race on Monday, the last date for filing papers.
The DMK high command denied ticket to three ministers, including Mr. Gandhi. In Ranipet, DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the candidature of Mr. Gandhi’s son Vinod Gandhi, Deputy State Secretary of DMK’s Environment Wing. Mr. Gandhi, however, learned that he was sulking over the refusal of the ticket.
In a social media post on Monday, Mr. Vinod thanked Mr. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for reposing faith in him and giving him the ticket. “However, given my father’s strong desire to compete again, I have decided to respectfully step down and return this opportunity to him,” he said.
He later announced that his father had filed his nomination to the Returning Officer as a “DMK candidate”.
Published – 06 Apr 2026 22:48 IST
