DMK fields anaesthetist for Tenkasi

DMK has reposed its trust on 40yearold Rani Srikumar, an anaesthetist working with Government Hospital Sankarankovil, by fielding her as the party candidate for Tenkasi (Reserved) parliamentary constituency.

When Dhanush defeated Puthiya Thamizhagam chief K. Krishnasamy with a whopping margin of 1.20 lakh in 2019, to become the first DMK MP to be elected from Tenkasi (Reserved) segment, it was expected that he would perform well to stamp his mark in this backward constituency. However, his ‘miserable performance’, as alleged by the Tenkasi voters, made him quite unpopular very soon even among the party workers. Consequently, the DMK has fielded a novice in politics, who is reportedly a member of the DMK since 2002.

Dr. Rani’s husband G. Srikumar, a government contractor, is the deputy organiser of DMK’s Tenkasi district farmers’ wing and her 83yearold father Sivakumar, a retired clerk, is DMK’s Sankarankoil union representative. Her uncle P. Durairaj got elected to Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Sankarankoil in 1967 as DMK candidate and again in 1980 as AIADMK candidate.

Since the AIADMK has allotted Tenkasi segment to Puthiya Tamilagam, either Dr. Krishnasamy, who has unsuccessfully contested in this constituency on six occasions (1998, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019) or his son Shyam, also a physician, is expected to test his electoral fortune this time. While Dr. Krishnasamy bagged the third spot in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections, he improved his performance to come runnerup in the 2014 and 2019 polls. The BJP is likely to field its electoral ally, Tamilaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam’s chief B. John Pandian in Tenkasi.

Even though technocrat Ananthan Ayyasamy of Vasudevanallur in Tenkasi district, who was working in the United States with Intel and returned to his native place with an eye on politics, was initially rumoured to be the BJP’s choice, the latest developments show that Mr. John Pandian may have the last laugh.