All the six candidates belonging to the alliances led by the ruling AIADMK and the DMK, including MDMK's Vaiko, were on Thursday declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu in the biennial elections.
Muhammath John and N Chandrasekaran (both AIADMK), Anbum Ramadoss (PMK) and M. Shanmugham and P Wilson (both DMK) and Vaiko were declared elected at the end of last date for withdrawal of nominations by the Assembly Secretary, who was the Returning Officer.
There was no contest as there were only six candidates for six vacancies. There were some doubts whether Vaiko's nomination would be accepted after his conviction in a sedition case by a Chennai court last week but it was accepted since the sentence was for only one year.
All the candidates received their election certificate from the Returning Officer.
DMK President M K Stalin accomped Shanmugham, Wilson and Vaiko when they received their certificates.
Ramadoss was allotted a seat by the AIADMK under an agreement both the sides had entered into during the recent Lok Sabha elections. Similarly, Vaiko was given the seat by DMK.
Vaiko makes a reentry into the Upper House after 26 years. He had already served three terms in Rajya Sabha. He had also been a member of the Lok Sabha.
( With inputs from ANI )