Kanimozhi wins a second term in Rajya Sabha

CHENNAI: DMK President M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi today won a second term in the Rajya Sabha after a contest in which the dissidents-ridden DMDK lost while four nominees of ruling AIADMK and its ally CPI won as expected.

AIADMK candidate V Maithreyan, who is also the leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, won a third term while CPI Secretary D Raja won a second term with help of AIADMK.

The prinicipal opposition party in the state assembly, DMDK, had to bite the dust as its candidate A R Elangovan lost in the wake of seven of his own partymen voting for AIADMK candidates in open defiance.

The actor-turned-politician Vijayakant's party which entered the poll fray hoping for support from other parties, could not drum up the backing from any outfit, leave alone from its own rebels.

DMDK has 29 members in the 234-member state assembly and Elangovan polled 22 votes.

The political acumen of Karunanidhi ensured his daughter, who is an accused in 2G spectrum scam case, a succssive term in Rajya Sabha.