The Big Fight: Friends turn election foes at Thousand Lights

One of the reasons attributed to DMK’s loss was that its star candidate MK Stalin opting to contest from Kolathur, leaving Thousand Lights electorate with no better option. 

Also, the demographics of this constituency has substantially changed over the years thanks to the real estate boom, which is also considered a major factor for the eroding DMK vote bank. However, this time, Stalin reportedly convinced DMK leader M Karunanidhi to field his loyalist Selvam amid talks that Congress was trying to get the seat for actor-politician Khushbu. Interestingly, Valarmathi and Selvam were close friends until recently. 

In fact, both began their political career in the Janaki Ramachandran faction of the then ADMK and spoke vociferously against AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa. When Valarmathi later shifted loyalties to Jayalalithaa, Selvam followed suit. With both of them knowing each other well, it will be interesting to wtitness the campaign styles of each. 

Thousand Lights is considered a VVIP constituency, as both Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi and his family members will vote here, apart from celebrities such as Rajinikanth among others. 

While the relatively younger voters plumb for AIADMK, the Muslim community may stand by DMK since it has IUML and MMK parties in its combine. 

The incumbent MLA from here and Minister for Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme is contesting again for this seat. Hailing from Madurai and known for her fiery speeches, she was previously elected MLA from Alandur in 2001, which she lost to DMK’s TM Anbarasan in 2006.

The secretary of Arignar Anna Podhu Nala Mandram and a Stalin loyalist will contest in this constituency. Despite having not been seen in earlier elections, Selvam is popular among the DMK cadre because of party related works. It was speculated that he was initially considered for T Nagar constituency.