Two decades on, Tiruchy yet to see a son of soil as Lok Sabha MP

At least in this election, the electorate of the Rock City expect the parties to field a native of the constituency as their candidates, so that the elected representative can understand the needs of the people and work for the overall development of the region.

Tiruchy Lok Sabha constituency has four assembly segments, Tiruchy District – Tiruchy-West, Tiruchy- East, Srirangam and Thiruverumbur and two segments from Pudukkottai district – Gandharvakottai and Pudukkottai.

Though former Chief Minister planned to elevate Tiruchy as the second capital of Tamil Nadu, the attempt was dropped after the demise of MGR, probably due to the lack of interest among politicians.

In such a situation, the Tiruchy voters have been longing for a son of the soil to represent them in the Lok Sabha since 1998. According to the statistics, MPs like K Ananda Nambiar (CPM) from combined Tiruchy district, M Kalyanasundaram (CPM), N Selvaraj (DMK), L Adaikalaraj (Congress and TMC) who were born in the district were elected till 1996.

However, the situation changed after 1998 when Rangarajan Kumaramangalam (BJP candidate) was elected. He was a resident of Salem and was elected twice from the constituency once in 1998 and then in 1999. He was followed by Dalit Ezhilmalai (AIADMK), a resident of Chengalpattu, who was elected in 2001 and L Ganesan (MDMK) from Thanjavur in 2004 polls.

Subsequently, the two-term serving MP P Kumar from Gandharvakottai in Pudukkottai district was elected in 2009 and 2014 election. Though Gandharvakottai segment in Pudukkottai district comes under Tiruchy Lok Sabha constituency, a majority of voters are from Tiruchy district.

Meanwhile, incumbent MP P Kumar, who is also the district secretary of AIADMK, has reportedly expressed his willingness not to contest in the Lok Sabha polls as he wants to run for the Mayor post. The AIADMK front has almost fixed the seat for DMDK, which is likely to field Dr Ilangovan, a resident of Dharmapuri, while the DMK front had allocated the seat to Congress in which case the national party may give ticket to former TNCC President Su Thirunavukkarasar, who is a native of Pudukkottai.

Though there is a tough fight going on between Thirunavukkarasar and A Joseph Louis Adaikkalaraj, son of late MP L Adaikalaraj, the party high command is likely to favour the ex-TNCC leader considering his experience in politics, sources said.

Thus, this time too, the Tiruchy voters are dejected that they are left with no option but to vote for an outsider, who they feel may not accord necessary attention to the needs and development of the Rock City.