THENI: Electoral battle is a family affair once again in Andipatti, as the constituency in Theni district gears up for a rare trilogy. For the third time in seven years, the political battleground is doubling up as a family fixture — albeit a competitive one — between sitting DMK MLA A Maharajan (72) and his younger brother, AIADMK’s A Logirajan (67). The brothers have been refielded by both the Dravidian majors again for the upcoming polls.
While the siblings share the same surname, their political paths have been strictly parallel. Maharajan currently holds the upper hand in this high-stakes rivalry, having defeated his brother in both the 2019 by-election and the 2021 polls.
In the 2019 bypoll, Maharajan secured 87,079 votes, defeating Logirajan, who polled 74,756 votes, by a margin of 12,323. The brothers clashed again in 2021, when Maharajan won with 93,541 votes against Logirajan’s 85,004, with a truncated margin of 8,523 votes.
A farmer by profession, Maharajan began his political career in 1980 and rose to become the chairman of the Andipatti Union between 1996 and 2001. Logirajan, a civil contractor, entered politics in 1986 through the AIADMK and has since held various party positions.
The rivalry dates back to the 2019 by-election, when the DMK fielded Maharajan and the AIADMK responded by nominating his younger brother.
Expressing confidence ahead of the polls, Logirajan told TNIE that he is determined to break his brother’s winning streak.
Elder bro eyes third win in a row
“We are fully prepared and have undertaken the necessary groundwork. I have met voters personally and assured them that all the pending issues will be addressed.
With the AMMK now backing us, unlike in previous elections, we are confident of securing victory by a margin of 30,000 votes,” he said.
On the other side, Maharajan is aiming for a hat-trick of wins. Speaking on his behalf, his son M Sethuraja highlighted the incumbent’s performance, particularly in rural development.
“Ensuring access to drinking water, roads and streetlights has been my priority. We also enjoy strong support among women, largely due to the Mahalir Urimai Thogai scheme.
Our alliance with the DMDK further strengthens our position,” he said, adding that support from Telugu-speaking families in several panchayats along Velappar Kovil Road would bolster their prospects.