Theni is essentially witnessing a three-cornered fight. The main contenders are: AIADMK's OP Raveendranath, son of deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam. TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK has fielded Thanga Tamilselvan. And the third candidate is Congress's EVKS Elangovan, the former president of the Tamil Nadu Congress, and also the grandnephew of Dravidian pitamah EVR Periyar.