P Nagarajan was a first time MP from the Coimbatore constituency in 2014, winning on an ADMK ticket. Coimbatore constituency consists of six assembly constituencies — Singanallur, Sulur, Coimbatore South, Kavundampalayam, Palladam, Coimbatore North.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, P Nagarajan (AIADMK) defeated C P Radhakrishnan (BJP) by 42,016 votes. The constituency, with 17,20,221 voters, saw a voter turnout of 68.40 percent in the 2014 elections, of which Nagarajan secured 36.69 percent votes. P Nagarajan secured this victory on the back of a strong support base for his party in the Kongunad region of Tamil Nadu.
[flexiblemap src=”http://data.opencity.in/Data/Tamil-Nadu-Parliament-Constituency-Coimbatore-Map-V-1.kml” width=”100%” height=”400px” ]
Note – Map for representation purpose | Source – http://datameet.org
Incidentally, P Nagarajan was among those who joined the breakaway faction of TTV Dinakaran from ADMK, and will not be seeking re-election in the upcoming elections.
Personal information
Name: P Nagarajan
Age: 57
Date of Birth: June 12, 1961
Sex: Male
Address: 23, Tank Street, P.O. Sarcarsamakulam, Coimbatore – 641107, Tamil Nadu
Phone: (0422) 2654118, 09443365747 (M)
Constituency: Coimbatore
Party: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Term: 2014-2019
Educational Qualifications: B.A., B.L. (Bachelor of Law), Government Arts College, Coimbatore; Madras Law College
No. of criminal cases: None
Assets & Liabilities (2014)
Movable assets | Rs 55,56,545 |
Immovable assets | Rs 2,87,50,000 |
Total | Rs 3,43,06,545 |
Liabilities | Rs 22,35,538 |
Source: myneta.info
Positions held
- Member, Standing Committee, Home Affairs
- Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Defence
Source: Lok Sabha
MP Performance
The break up of the party and Nagarajan’s defection to the Dinakaran faction is believed to have marked his tenure with a high level of political uncertainty. P Nagarajan’s attendance and the number of questions raised in parliament has exceeded the state average. However, he fares poorly in participation in debates, having only taken part in only 28 debates in his five-year tenure. This is significantly lower than the national and state average.
The issues he has raised in Parliament have mostly been related to his constituency of Coimbatore. He has participated in debates concerning the expansion of Coimbatore airport, exemption of excise duty for the manufacturing industries in the city, building of railway overbridge in the constituency and other such local issues.
On issues of national interest, the MP has participated in debates on price rise and flood and drought situations across the nation.
MPs | Attendance | No of Debates | No of questions asked | Private Member’s Bill |
P Nagarajan | 80% | 28 | 594 | 0 |
National Average | 80% | 67.1 | 293 | 2.3 |
State (TN) average | 78% | 46.6 | 453 | 0 |
Source: PRS Legislative Research
Some of the key debates the MP has participated in are as follows:
- Regarding need to remove the discrepancy in the Employees’ Pension Scheme
- Need to continue Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, the National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli and the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai as the premier Research Centres under ICAR
- Regarding widening of National Highway No. 181 between Mettupalayam and Wayanad
- Regarding the reduction of the level of the check dam across Palar river
- Need to expedite the four laning work on NH-67 and construction of bridges and flyovers in Coimbatore
MP in News
The long sought after train facility between Coimbatore and Bengaluru, the Uday Express, was flagged off during his tenure. The demand had been in place by the residents of Coimbatore, many who have to travel to Bengaluru for work, over the years as the numbers grew.
His election in 2014 by the lowest margin of victory for an ADMK candidate resulted in a shake up within the ranks of the party, with the resignation of then Coimbatore Mayor SM Velusamy.
P Natarajan was vocal in protest against the delay in Cauvery Water Management Board. He offered to quit the Lok Sabha as a mark of condemnation of the delay, stating that the Cauvery issue affects all Tamil people. He was one of 26 ADMK lawmakers suspended for launching protests for the same in Parliament.
MPLAD funds
Out of 25 crores allocated to Coimbatore constituency, P Nagarajan has completed 154 works which cost Rs 9,37,51,944.
The focus of the MPLAD fund spending has been in the fields of education, improvement of water supply, installation of RO plants, improving pavements and construction of bus shelters and rain shelters.
He has recommended 60 works worth Rs 5 crore that is yet to be processed by various government departments.
Recommended amount | Rs 5,26,07,500 |
Sanctioned amount | Rs 3,65,06,200 |
Utilised amount | Rs 9,37,51,944 |
Some of the work carried out using the funds are as follows:
- Construction of Bus Shelter at Kanuvai Village
- Supply and installation of High Mast Light at Veerapandi
- Construction of compound wall to the Government Boys Higher Secondary School at Sulur
- Construction of over head tank of 1,00,000 litres capacity at Lakshmi Garden
- Providing books to 20 libraries
Source: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, GOI