TIRUCHY: Amid calls for the DMK to this time field a candidate of its own – particularly the son of Minister KN Nehru – from the Tiruchy constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, incumbent MP Su Thirunavukkarasar has expressed desire to contest again from the same seat. This, however, is met with opposition not just among alliance parties but from a section of fellow Congress cadre too who dismiss his “sudden focus” on his constituency as a “mere stunt” to fix his “reputation”.
A Tiruchy DMK unit leader said, “Our party cadres are reluctant to work for him if he’s offered a seat. His last-minute activities won’t find acceptance among the masses.”
He also mentioned thousands of DMK workers having appealed to their party leadership to not allot Tiruchy for any alliance partner but only to KN Arun Nehru, the son of Minister for Municipal Administration KN Nehru.
A local Congress leader who criticised Thirunavukkarasar for his “absence” even during the days of the Covid-19 pandemic said, “He has for long held positions of power both in the state and the Centre. A new face and a resident of Tiruchy should be considered for candidature this time, someone who can accommodate everyone in the party without showing favouritism.”
There are also calls for considering TNCC general council member J Joseph Louis for candidature. Louis is the son of four-time Tiruchy MP, the late L Adaikalaraj. One of his supporters said, “We have sent by post hundreds of letters to our party leader president Mallikarjun Kharge requesting to consider him.”
Meanwhile, dismissing all allegations against Thirunavukkarasar as “politically motivated”, P Govindaraajan, Tiruchy (south) district president and a supporter of the MP, said, “He is the only MP in recent decades to have set up a proper office in the city (Tiruchy) for people to approach and put forth their grievances.”
Asked about the complaints of his “absence”, Thirunavukkarasar told TNIE, “Show me an MP who has visited everyone in their constituency in their tenure. I completely used up my MP [local area development] funds towards public welfare except during the two years when it was cut due to Covid. The projects that I inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for over the past few days are not focused on the elections. Anyone can come to my office and educate themselves on my contributions to the welfare of those in the constituency.”
It was only because of my efforts and friendship with Union Minister Rajnath Singh that defence land could be acquired for completion of the construction of the flyover near Central Bus Stand and 337.70 acres were used for the development of the Tiruchy airport, he added.
“I wish to contest once again from Tiruchy constituency as I won last time with a four-lakh margin. My supporters also wish the same. The party has to take the final call,” Thirunavukkarasar said.