Slippers and eggs were hurled at former Union Minister A. Raja by a group of DMK workers, reportedly supporters of former Minister D. Ramachandran, opposing the candidature of Mubarak in Coonoor Assembly Constituency in the Nilgiris district.

As the party organised a meeting to introduce the candidature of Mubarak, a former whip in Tamil Nadu Assembly, some 400 party workers gathered near a hall in Kotagiri, some 25 km from here and blocked Raja and Mubarak from getting down from the car, police said.

Some slippers were thrown towards the car, along with a few eggs, they said. However, police rushed to the spot and managed the crowd and made way for both Raja and Mubarak to reach the hall.

The meeting, attended by nearly 800 workers, went off peacefully, police said. There was strong opposition for nominating Mubarak from the supporters, including local community. There was much support for Ramachandran who it is said had nurtured the constituency well. Despite the protest, the party continued with the candidature of Mubarak, despite the dissent.