ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY
The Mylapore legislative assembly was one of the first to be formed in the Republic of India. It has the following wards under its constituency Bharathidasan Nagar, Vivekanandapuram, Alwarpet (North), Alwarpet (South), Bheemannapet, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Madhavaperumal Puram, Karaneeswarapuram, Santhome, Mylapore, Avvai Nagar (North), Raja Annamalaipuram and Avvai Nagar (South). Mylapore boasts of renowned educational institutions such as Vivekananda College, Lady Sivaswamy Ayyar Girls Higher Secondary School and Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya Senior Secondary School. India’s first digital media college — the Image College of Arts, Animation and Technology is also situated in Mylapore.
Name: KV Thangkabalu
Age: 61
Party: Congress
Education: MA, Political Science
Experience in politics: 40 years
Profession: Agriculturalist,
businessman
Total Asset value: `9.33 crore
Native: Salem
PRESIDENT of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and former union minister, KV Thangkabalu, comes across as a fairly assured man. With decades of political experience, both in the State and the Centre, this candidate from the Mylapore constituency claims to have a unique edge over his opponents. He says, “I am a farmer’s son. Working in the farm has always been my hobby. As I have worked my way up in life and in politics, I know the challenges that people face.” Education is a musthave on his list; as is evident by the number of colleges in the family trust — Thangavelu Engineering College, TJ Institute of Technology and Thangavelu College of Science and Management — all in Chennai.
As part of his campaign promises for the Mylapore constituency, he lists, “I will make sure that my constituency is nurtured in terms of sanitation and drinking water facility, and helps the weaker sections of society.” How did he get the seat? “I was not interested in contesting in the assembly elections. I only wanted to campaign for my party and support my alliance,” he says. The claim is that after his wife Jayanthi, the official candidate, filed four applications, two of them went missing. Hence Thangkabalu, who had registered as the fail-safe, took her place. He says, “We still do not know what exactly happened, but it is my duty to step forward.” A word for his opponent: “We are a performing government and they are not. The rule of 2006 is ripe in the memory of the people. They will certainly compare the governance of the AIADMK and the DMK here in Tamil Nadu. It is my hope that Dr Kalaignar will come to power again,” says Thangkabalu.
Name: R Rajalakshmi
Age: 46
Party: AIADMK
Education: BCom, LLB, MBA
Experience in politics: 11 years
Profession: Advocate
Total Asset values: `5.85 crore
Native: Mannargudi, Thiruvarur
RESIDING in Tnagar, not too far from her election constituency, R Rajalakshmi says she knows the city like the back of her hand. Particularly fond of Mylapore, she says, “I visit the Kapaleeswarar Temple regularly and drop by at the Karpagambal mess for a quick bite. I even love shopping at Rasi Silks there.” With several friends and family living in the area as well, it seems that this part of Chennai is like her second home. “My biggest grievance is for the fishermen residing here. I don’t think the present government has taken adequate measures for their upliftment.” Rajalakshmi has been pro-AIADMK since childhood, and says that her father, SA Rajan, was one of the founding members of the party. She grew up admiring the leader of the party, J Jayalalitha, for her acting, and later her political accomplishments. “I don’t think any leader would have the courage to choose an ordinary party cadre like me to stand in the MLA election,” says Rajalakshmi.
In the larger scheme of things, she hopes to better the traffic congestion that is often a problem in the area. She plans to tap into Mylapore’s commercial potential as well. How did she get the seat? “Amma just gave it to me, because she thought I was fit for it.
I never fought for it,” says Rajalakshmi, taking a shot at her opponent.
A word for her opponent: “I don’t think Thangkabalu is even aware of the problems of the people in Mylapore; he will never be able to match me in this respect,” says Rajalakshmi.
“If people vote for him, they will only contribute to his amassing wealth further.” With not more than 11 female candidates fielded by the AIADMK, out of 12,000 applications (35 per cent women), Rajalakshmi is one of the lucky few. She adds, “I come from a party that is known for keeping its word.
That is my advantage.”