Constituency round-up: Sitting MLA takes on DMK’s youth wing organiser and poet-lyricist from MNM in Virugambakkam

Roads, drainage and water are the prime concerns of voters in this relatively new constituency. Check out more about the contest here.

Virugambakkam constituency was formed in 2009 after merging parts of Villivakkam and Alandur constituencies. Located between the Coovum and Adyar River, some of the areas that form the constituency are M.G.R Nagar, Jafferkhanpet, K.K. Nagar, Nesapakkam, Saligramam and Rani Anna Nagar. 

Koyambedu, the largest market for perishable goods in Asia, is one of the important landmarks in Virugambakkam constituency. The Koyambedu Market Management Committee is collaborating with Care Earth Trust NGO to undertake greening activities within the market complex. The NGO plans to create a small tree park.

Besides prominent film artists, politicians and entrepreneurs residing here, there are a number of movie studios in the constituency.

For representation

Votes cast (2016)

  • Total number of voters: 171339
  • Male Voters: 87786
  • Female voters: 83129
  • Third gender: 2
  • Postal votes: 422
  • Polling percentage: 58.63

Incumbent MLA Profile

  • Name: V N Virugai Ravi
  • Party: AIADMK
  • S/o: C.O Nagalingam
  • Age: 51
  • Address: Door No: 8/43, Narayanasamy Street, Virugambakkam, Chennai-92
  • Name Enrolled as Voter: VIRUGAMBAKKAM (Tamil Nadu) constituency, at Serial no 481 in Part no 66 
  • Contact Number: 044-23770000, 93837 70505 
  • Self Profession: Centring Contractor
  • Criminal cases: Nil

2016 election results

V N Virugai Ravi (AIADMK) won by a margin of  2,333 (1.4%)

No.NameVotesPartyPercentage of votes polled
(As per ECI website)
1V N Virugai Ravi65,979All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam38.51
2K Thanasekaran63,646Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam37.15
3Tamilisai Soundararajan.Dr19,167Bharatiya Janata Party11.19 
4B.Parthasarathy9,730Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam5.68 
5C.H. Jayarao3,945Pattali Makkal Katchi2.30 

In the news

MLA V N Virugai Ravi inaugurated the Saligramam Full-Time Branch Library in February. During the event, the president of the reader’s circle S Rajendran submitted a written plea to the MLA seeking a coaching facility for youngsters who take competitive examinations.

In 2018, members of resident welfare associations from Ashok Nagar met the MLA to submit a petition on the long-pending civic woes. Installation of speed breakers in several sectors, appointment of security guards in parks and makeover for the name boards and underground sewage lines were some of the demands that were highlighted in the petition. 

In 2019 November, Ravi was in the news for discussing the decision of shifting the Sub-registrar office from Virugambakkam to Nolambur. According to a news report, many residents were unhappy about the relocation. 

Know your candidates this time

S. NoNamePartyAgeEducation/OccupationCriminal Cases
1AMV. Prabhakara RajaDravida Munnetra Kazhagam32Business/B.Tech, MBANil
2Virugai V N RaviAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam58Centring contractor/B.ANil
3Senegan SMakkal Needhi Maiam48Poet, song writer, actor/Higher secondary schoolNil
4D Sundar SinghIndependent43Business/Class 12Nil
5M EllangovanIndependent40Advocate/B.A., B.L., MBANil
6K BoopathyIndependent45Advocate/B.A., LLBNil
7V K Senthil KumarIndependent38Advocate/B.Com, LLBNil
8V K KathirIndependent40Advocate/B.Com, LLBNil
9M SrinivasanIndependent30Advocate/B.Sc, LLBNil
10V ThalapathiIndependent53Journalist, Business/B.ComNil
11G ThanigachalamVeerath Thiyagi Viswanathadoss Thozhilalarkal Katchi42Saloon/Class 8Nil
12M. Gunasekaran (A) Star M. GunasekaranIndependent47Real estate/B.A.Nil
13E SankarIndependent49Business/Class 9Nil
14V GunasekaranIndependent60Business/Class 10Nil
15Sathasivam AIndependent35Salaried/B.ScNil
16D PrabakaranIndependent52Business/Class 5Nil
17M S Ismail KhanAll India Jananayaka Makkal Kazhagam40NANil
18S GunasekarIndependent31Employed/Class 10Nil
19M SivakumarIndependent40Business/Class 6Nil
20G RaviRashtriya Janata Dal36Business/NANil
21B ParthasarathyDesiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam56Business/Class 10Nil
22Manju CAnaithu Makkal Arasiyal Katchi36Business/Class 8Nil
23R PrabhaharanTamizhaga Murpokku Makkal Katchi40Advocate/B.A, B.LNil
24Mannu MIndependent42Tailor/BBA (not completed)Nil
25S R Dinesh KumarAnna MGR Dravida Makkal Kalgam34Interior & Exterior contractor/NILNil
26R MayilsamyIndependent56Actor/Class 5Nil
27T S RajendranNaam Tamilar Katchi57Real estate/High schoolNil

Read more: Constituency round-up: Pallavaram MLA to contest seat, even as long-standing demands of residents remain unmet


Key concerns of the constituency

Although the constituency is a part of Greater Chennai Corporation, several localities including Periyar Street, Valparai street and Thiruvallur Street in M G R Nagar are not connected to a stormwater drain (SWD) network. The absence of the facility results in water stagnation every monsoon. One of the major demands placed by the residents of the locality is for an SWD network and desilting of the existing drains before the onset of monsoon. 

While the entire city gets vegetable supply from the Koyambedu market, the facility lacks basic amenities such as sewage drains and parking. Commuters witness severe bottlenecks during peak hours which could be resolved if the roads are widened. 

Anna Main Road or Ashok Pillar Road, as it was better known earlier, is a four-kilometre wide stretch lined with trees. However, over the years, especially in the past two decades, the road has not been maintained well. “Apart from potholes and uneven stretches, road cave-ins are regular at MGR Nagar junction. It is unclear why the road caves in often, but it could be due to the shoddy road-laying work,” says Sashi Nair, Director of Press Institute of India (PII), who resides in KK Nagar.

In yet another incident of road caving in, residents of Saligramam were in for a  surprise when VOC Street caved in as Cyclone Nivar lashed the city. According to a report in The Times of India, the road caved in due to the leakage in the sewer line. However, the Metrowater officials shifted the blame on to the corporation, as the incident allegedly occurred due to the stormwater drain that was accumulating sand.

As the water supply line and underground drainage lines were constructed more than three decades ago, residents complain of sewage contamination of drinking water. P Arunachalam, an executive committee member of Second Sector House owners Association from KK Nagar, says,” Due to this, residents are forced to buy canned water from vendors.” 

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