Chennai Central Parliamentary constituency is comprised of six assembly constituencies — Villivakkam, Egmore (SC), Harbour, Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, Thousand Lights and Anna Nagar.  

Chennai Central is a constituency of extremes: it has some of the city’s richest localities such as Central and Anna Nagar, and within a few metres are the slum pockets of GH quarters and Aminjikarai. There is cultural diversity as well as the constituency sizeable Hindi and Urdu speaking population, apart from Telugus and Malayalis.  It also has a significant Muslim population of over 2 lakhs in Chepauk – Triplicane and Egmore assembly constituencies. Contestants therefore must come up with concrete promises that satisfies all sections of the electorate. “Chennai Central had always been a cake walk for the DMK, but not after AIADMK’s S R Vijaya Kumar took it over,” said C S Koteeswaran, a Political Journalist said.

According to the election commission of India’s website, the constituency has a total of 13,32,135 voters: 6,60,447 male, 6,71,334 female and 354 others.

[flexiblemap src=”http://data.opencity.in/Data/Tamil-Nadu-Parliament-Constituency-Chennai-Central-Map-V-1.kml” width=”100%” height=”400px” ]

Note – Map for representation purpose | Source – http://datameet.org

2014 Lok Sabha elections

Incumbent MP: S R Vijaya Kumar

Source: ECI

Know your candidates

A total of 31 candidates are contesting from various political parties and as independents from Chennai Central. The election commission of India has rejected  13 applications for the constituency, while eight of them withdrew after filing the nominations.

Dayanidhi Maran (DMK)

Dayandhi Maran campaigns in Chennai Central parliamentary constituency. Credits: facebook/Dayanidhimaran

Son of former Union Minister Murasoli Maran (who represented the constituency thrice) and grand nephew of the late DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi, Dayanidhi Maran is a reputed name in Chennai Central constituency. He won the Lok Sabha polls twice from the constituency, before losing the stronghold to S R Vijaya Kumar of the AIADMK.

The detailed affidavit filed by him can be viewed here.

• Phone number:  044 – 24371515
• Mail ID: dmaranoffice@gmail.com
• Twitter: @dayanidhi_maran

Sam Paul S R (PMK in alliance with AIADMK)

Sam Paul S R is an entrepreneur contesting from the PMK party, in alliance with AIADMK. Credits: Facebook

A 41 year old entrepreneur, Sam Paul from the Pattali Makkal Katchi is a first time contestant. Sam Paul is a legal consultant and honorary director of business ventures such as Pauls Media Private limited, Paul System Technologies and Paulsons Beauty & Fashions Pvt Ltd among others. Sam Paul has an active Facebook page, where he communicates about his campaign trial and plans for the constituency.

To know more, view the affidavit here.

• Phone number: 9840077288
• Mail ID: sampaul22@gmail.com

Kameela Nasser (Makkal Needhi Maiam)

Kameela Nasser from Makkal Needhi Maiam speaks to the people in Chennai Central parliamentary constituency. Credits: Facebook/kameela

A film producer and a wife of South Indian actor Nasser, Kameela is a new entrant in Tamil Nadu politics. Promising jobs and other basic amenities, the film producer has been vigorously campaigning in Chennai Central constituency.  Kameela is a resident of Valasaravakkam in Chennai. Watch her Facebook video, to know more.

Her detailed affidavit is here.

• Phone: 98410 97209
• Mail ID: kameelanasser@gmail.com

Sheik Mohamed K  (AMMK alliance with SDPI)

Sheik Mohamed alias Dhehlan Baqavi is contesting from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), in alliance with T T V Dinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). A resident of Purasawalkam, Sheik Mohamed is an entrepreneur, who is promising employment to the citizens.  Sheik has a criminal case against him for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups. Ukkadam police station in Coimbatore has registered a case, imposing sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code. The charges are not framed yet.

To know more, check his affidavit.

• Phone number: 944572087
• Mail ID: kksmnellai@gmail.com

Sheik Mohamed’s assets as on 2019, submitted to the ECI:

C S Karnan (Anti Corruption Democratic Party)

C S Karnan. Credits: Facebook

Former Calcutta High Court Judge C S Karnan is contesting from the Anti Corruption Dynamic Party that he launched in May 2018. It may be recalled that Karnan is the first sitting High Court Judge to have been sentenced to prison. The Supreme Court, in May 2017, had convicted him of contempt for accusing top court judges of corruption, but Karnan has maintained that he was being targeted for being a Dalit.

Check out the affidavit to know about his personal details.   

• Phone no: 044 – 25550346
• Mail ID: acdpindia@gmail.com

C S Karnan’s assets as on 2019, submitted to the ECI:

Here is the detailed list of 26 other contestants from Chennai Central

• Parthasarathi M, 49, daily wage worker
  • Bahujan Samaj Party; Symbol: Elephant
  • Contact: 9940269683

• Dr Karthikeyan R, 31, dentist
  • Naam Tamilar Katchi, Symbol: Farmer
  • Contact: 9003060286, facebook/dentakings

• Geetha Lakshmi V R, 51, homemaker
  • Pyramid Party of India; Symbol: Pineapple
  • Contact: 9940662028

• Sasi Kumar S, 36, caterer
  • Tamil Nadu Ilangyar Katchi; Symbol: Ring
  • Contact: 9176475201; Facebook: sasi.srini.1

• Suresh Babu, 43, Financial and Business consultant
  • Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi; Symbol: Football
  • Contact: 9841002596; Facebook: suresh.suresh.g

• Najimunnissa, 48, entrepreneur
  • Anaithu Makkal Katchi; Symbol: Auto
  • Contact:  9884739915

• Valarmathi K, 46, social worker
  • Akila India Vallalar Peravai; Symbol: Key
  • Contact:  9962258322

• Jithendra Kumar Jain, 41, Businessman
  • Republican Party of India;Symbol: Candle light
  • Contact: 9841331292

• Raghavan M, 62, Mobile Mechanic
  • Independent; Symbol: Remote
  • Contact: raghavan50@facebook.com

• V Radhakrishnan, 47, Entrepreneur
  • Independent; Symbol: Cooker
  • Contact: 044 – 25967792; Facebook: Radhakrishnan Gokul

• Dr Gunasekaran N, 29, Daily wage worker
  • Independent; Symbol: Helmet
  • Contact: 7299479986

• Kuppuswamy N, 46, Tinker
  • Independent; Symbol: Ship
  • Contact: 9941606199; Facebook: Kuppuswamy1

• L Govindaraj, 39, Advocate, Madras High Court
  • Independent; Symbol: Diamond
  • Contact: 883869 5467

• Chandranathan S, 27, Advocate
  • Independent; Symbol: Watermelon
  • Contact: 9710628801

• Samuel Paul, 29, Real estate mediator
  • Independent; Symbol: Capsicum
  • Contact: 971100839; Facebook: Samuel Paul

• Sam Paul, 28, Social worker
  • Independent; Symbol: Grapes
  • Contact: 9894643200

• Tamilarasan V V, 33, private investigator
  • Independent; Symbol:  CCTV
  • Contact: 9940642466

• Dinakaran G, 29, Private sector employee
  • Independent; Symbol: Balloon
  • Contact: 9551760131

• Nasar K, 35, Driver
  • Independent; Symbol: Stamp
  • Contact: 9787424595

• Prabhakaran K M, 57, carpenter
  • Independent; Symbol: Bat
  • Contact: 9176009342

• Prabhakaran N, 27, Lawyer
  • Independent; Symbol: Streetlight
  • Contact: 9176808463

• Pushparaj L, 28, Businessman
  • Independent; Symbol: Laptop
  • Contact: 9840604178; Facebook: Pushparajraj

• Madhana Gopal T, 41, Advocate
  • Independent; Symbol: Television
  • Contact: 7397433033

• Ravichandran M, 55, businessman
  • Independent; Symbol: Robot
  • Contact: 9941493276; Facebook: Ravindran Muthukrishnan

• Raj Ramchand, 5, Financial advisor
  • Independent; Symbol: Bucket
  • Contact: 044 – 24843065

• Vaidhyanathan R, 39, Administrative officer
  • Independent; Symbol: Box
  • Contact: 9442066678; Facebook: Vaithynathanr

Key issues of the constituency

The highlighted portion is the encroachment in the Villivakkam Lake by government bodies.

A layer of water hyacinth and garbage choke Cooum River. A view from the park town railway station. Pic: Laasya Shekhar.

• Villivakkam is one of the less developed localities in Chennai. The ongoing restoration of Villivakkam Lake needs to be completed at the earliest. “During rains, our houses are flooded with sewage water, due to the absence of a proper underground sewage network. Fast restoration of Villivakkam lake and developing road infrastructure are among the imperative demands,” said Chandra Mohan, a social activist.
• Cooum river plays a geographical and social role in the lives of residents of the constituency. It flows through most of the localities in the constituency such as Chintadripet, Egmore, Chepauk, Chetpet, Nungambakkam and Anna Nagar. “Cooum restoration project is happening at a slow pace. The river has to be beautified, de-silted and unclogged so as to avoid flooding in these areas,” said R Sridhar, advocate and a resident of Choolai.
• A major infrastructural lapse can be noticed in Harbour and other commercial parts of Chennai Central constituency. Belonging to the colonial era, these localities such as Parrys town cry for wide roads, proper solid waste management and ways to ease traffic congestion. “Multi-level parking lots were promised to these areas, but unfortunately T Nagar got the focus,” added R Sridhar.
• Metro rail has created its own set of complexities for Chennai Central residents. During the construction of the Metro, many residents had been relocated. “Many living in Aminjikarai, Anna Nagar and Mannadi agitated against the current government as they have not received the compensation yet,” said Javeed Ahmed of Periapet.
• One of the most developed localities, Anna Nagar also grapples with its share of problems. “The MP can push for integrating storm water drains with the surface water resources. During the time of drought, such water conservation measures are the need of the hour,” said J Saravanan, a water resource expert and a former resident of Anna Nagar.
• Sanitation and drinking water are perennial issues in the slums of Chennai Central. Slum dwellers in Aminjikarai, Greams Road and Chepauk live in abject poverty, deprived of even the most basic amenities.