22 first-timers make it to Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu
From firebrand politician Vaiko aka V Gopalaswamy to a novice
like filmstar Ramarajan, there are 22 members who will make
their debut in the 12th Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu.
DMK labour wing leader C Kuppusamy, former AIADMK minister
V Sathiyamurthy, two former AIADMK legislators and candidates of the
Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam are among the new faces.
While the new faces romped home surprisingly, riding on the
anti-incumbency wave, veterans like Union ministers and Tamil
Maanila Congress leaders M Arunachalam and Dhanushkodi Adityan
and BJP leader Jana Krishnamurthy bit the dust.
Arunachalam, who has represented Tenkasi for more than
two decades, winning six consecutive elections since 1970, was
humbled by AIADMK greenhorn S Murugesan. Interestingly, this was
the first time in the last 25 years that the AIADMK had contested
an election from this constituency.
Dalit leader Dr K Krishnasamy, who also threw his hat in the ring
in Tenkasi, played spoilsport in Arunachalam's bid to win a
seventh successive election and set a state record.
Former AIADMK legislator V Saroja, who wrested the Rasipuram seat
from the TMC, is the only woman candidate to have emerged successful,
though 13 of them had tested their electoral fortunes. While the
ruling DMK fielded a lone woman, Kanthimathi, its ally, the TMC,
which advocated 30 per cent reservations for women in Parliament and the state legislatures,
did not field any.
The other former AIADMK MLAs who moved to national politics
are V K Munusamy, Kanchi Panneerselvam and K P Munusamy.
Among the veterans, TMC member N Dennis holds the distinction of
having been elected to the Lok Sabha from Nagercoil five times since
1980, while Union minister P Chidambaram and Vazhapadi K
Ramamurthy have been elected four times, and Kumaramangalam thrice.
Vaiko, who had been a Rajya Sabha member from 1977 to 1995,
twice made bids to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Sivakasi.
Thanks to the alliance with the AIADMK this time, he could also take
two of his partymen to Parliament.
M Thyagarajan, 32, of the AIADMK (from Pollachi), will be the
youngest member to be elected from the state, while N Dennis, at
72, is the oldest Lok Sabha member from Tamil Nadu.
For Dr Subramanian Swamy, it was a long cherished dream come true,
when he was elected from Madurai. He returns to the Lower House after 14 years.
UNI
Elections '98
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