Meet South Chennai MP elect: Thamizhachi Thangapandian promises to be a strong voice for women
South Chennai had been a DMK bastion for a long time, until 2014. J Jayavardhan, son of AIADMK MLA, D Jayakumar became one of the youngest MP’s by winning against DMK’s T K S Elangovan. With the victory of first-time contestant Thamizhachi Thangapandian, DMK reclaimed South Chennai, which has had leaders such as C N Annadurai and Murasoli Maran. Thamizhachi Thangapandian secured over 5.6 lakh votes and won against Jayavardhan with a margin of 2.6 lakh votes.
Hailing from a family with a political background, Thamizhachi Thangapandian is a prominent writer, poet and an academician. Her father, late V Thangapandian had been a DMK stalwart and brother Thangam Thennaras is a sitting MLA who represents Thiruchuli constituency.
Thamizhachi’s Tamil poems / articles have been published in various books – Enjottu Penn, Vanapechi, Pechcharavam Kettiliyo, Manjanathi, Sol thodum dhooram, Kaalamum Kavithaiyum, Arukan, Island to Island (English). Her literary prowess is evident from the various awards and honours she has received: Pavendhar Bharathidasan Virudhu by the TN State Government, Certificate of Honour by the UNICEF, Justice MM Ismail Memorial Award are a few among her 23 awards.
“It was when her father, the respected V Thangapandian, passed away that Thamizhachi found her calling as a writer. The words healed her and there was no looking back for her. Her main strength lies in transporting the reader to the nativity that she grew up in; making the reader an audience of her life as she captures the essence of every breath. She was given the name Thamizhachi by Kalaingar (M Karunanidhi) himself and Thamizhachi she has remained after that,” says an excerpt in her website.
Know more about Thamizhachi Thangapandian from the Citizen Matters interview.
Thamizhachi Thangapandian
Assets
Thamizhachi Thangapandian’s assets (in INR) as on 2019, submitted to the ECI:
Movable: 1,14,43,792(self) + 1,12,20,170(spouse) + 31,59,868 (son)
Immovable: 4,72,64,774 (Self) + 1,87, 04,855 (spouse)
Liabilities: 5,00,000
More information in the affidavit.
South Chennai
A total of 40 candidates contested from various political parties and as independents from Chennai South which has a total of 19,36,209 voters. Percentage of votes polled in the constituency is 58.14%
| S.No | Candidate | Name of Party | Number of votes | Vote share |
| 1 | Thamizhachi Thangapandian | DMK | 564,872 | 50.17% |
| 2 | J Jayavardhan | ADMK | 302,649 | 26.88% |
| 3 | A Rangarajan | MNM | 135,465 | 12.,03% |
Source: ECI
Promises and plans
Having campaigned vigorously to understand the local grievances, Thamizhachi Thangapandian aims to better the infrastructure facilities in South Chennai. She understands the diversity of the constituency — how it is plagued with issues such as safety of women, traffic congestion and pollution. “A majority of civic problems are hyperlocal, and those can be solved by the local bodies. Our MLAs have promised to solve issues such as the pending underground drainage project in Nochi Nagar. As an MP candidate, I will work on bringing in important civic and infrastructural facilities to Chennai South,” Thamizhachi told Citizen Matters Chennai, in an interview.
Among the few promises she made are to improve the facilities in Anganwadi centres of Palavakkam Kuppam and set up bio-sanitary vending machines in public places. She has also promised to construct a trauma centre in Sholinganallur through MPLAD funds, a key promise by J Jayavardhan five years ago. Having understood the significance of Pallikaranai marshland in the constituency, Thamizhachi Thangapandian promised to support the restoration of the marshland. “DMK has plans for the Perungudi dumpyard and Pallikaranai marshland already. It will be executed with the help of an expert committee. We will not stop with just getting the funds sanctioned but we will see through the execution in an expedited manner,” Thamizhachi said.
In a move that cheered up the OMR residents, Thamizhachi Thangapandian promised to take efforts to remove toll charge. “Collecting toll charge from the residents at OMR is not acceptable and if elected, I shall make every effort to remove this,” she said.
Source: Citizen Matters Chennai, News Today
| “The victory is an important turning point in my life. I am forever indebted to South Chennai residents for choosing me. I will fulfill all the electoral promises made by me during the campaign trail,” Thamizhachi Thangapandian said, on facebook live. |
| Citizens’ reaction
Congratulations Sumathi aka Thamizhachi Thangapandian. My superhero and professor who made me fell in love with English literature. A friend who made me learn the values of humanity and now the new Member of Parliament from South Chennai Lok sabha constituency |