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Chennai South residents’ welfare union invites candidates
This is in the constituency of Chennai South- the second biggest Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu with about 20.23 lakh voters comprising an urban and middle class population
A conglomerate of resident welfare associations of Chennai’s IT corridor–Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR)–have opened a new political channel of communication by holding meetings with the major candidates in the fray. This is to help the contesting politicians to reach out to those in gated communities and high rises and for residents to lay out their demands and to listen to the candidates’ promises.
This is in the constituency of Chennai South- the second biggest Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu with about 20.23 lakh voters comprising an urban and middle class population, the commercial business hub of T Nagar, the IT corridor, education institutions such as IIT-Madras, Anna University, tourist spots and temples. A week ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a road show in T Nagar campaigning for BJP candidates ahead of the April 19 parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu.
Chennai South has elected stalwarts including DMK founder C N Annadurai and Congress veterans T T Krishnamachari and R Venkataraman, in the past. It is currently seeing a three cornered contest between the DMK’s incumbent Thamizhachi Thangapandian, AIADMK’s J Jayavardhan who won in 2014s Lok Sabha polls and BJP’s Tamilisai Soundararajan.
The Federation of OMR Residents Associations (FOMRRA) collectively represents more than 400,000 people living in more than 175 communities. Their meetings on April 13 and 14 was attended by candidates of the DMK, AIADMK, BJP and Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) representing the Chennai south and adjoining Kancheepuram district parliamentary constituency.
“The goal of the entire process was to show that we, the middle class educated people of OMR are a powerful voting force, who will choose our representatives with knowledge,” said Harsha Koda co-founder of FOMRRA.
The constituency has long-standing civic issues from housing one of the two toxic landfills in Chennai at Pallikaranai to traffic congestion. Despite being the city’s IT hub, it is underserved by basic amenities particularly in the peripheries which came into the fold of the Greater Chennai Corporation in 2011. “For the last 15 years we have had the same problems,” says Koda. “Despite us being added to Chennai, connection to drinking water, sewage system and storm water drains are absent. We know these are local body issues but few central schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and funds for desalination plants can help us.”
OMR experiences the double whammy of flooding during monsoon and being entirely dependent on water tankers during the summer. OMR does not benefit from the Nemmeli desalination plant which supplies drinking water to Chennai. “Because we have no infrastructure. The water goes through our localities but it doesn’t quench our thirst.”
The candidates have promised to address these issues. BJP’s Soundararajan on Tuesday released an election manifesto for the South Chennai constituency. Soundararajan quit as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in March to contest this election. Her manifesto titled as ‘Akka 1825 (365x5 years)’ promises to launch schemes for garbage disposal, storm water drains, and steps to prevent flooding in South Chennai.
During the meeting with FOMRAA, Thangapandian spoke of her achievements in the last five years such as the expansion of the East Coast Road (ECR) to ease traffic congestion, a skywalk in OMR and solid waste management plant to be operated in ECR. AIADMK’s Jayavardhan spoke of his achievements from 2014 to 2019 where he said his party was instrumental in bringing the phase 1 of the Chennai Metro Rail in Guindy. He accused his DMK successor of not completing 30% of drains and 40% of metro rail. NTK’s S Tamilselvi representing a party that espouses Tamil nationalism promised to renovate water bodies, provide free medical treatment and renewable energy.
“FOMRAA’s rain water harvesting saved 36-lakhs litres of water for every hour of rain. We are doing our bit but there is no support from any government,” says Koda. All three Lok Sabha constituencies in Chennai have traditionally been the DMK’s bastion. Former Union finance minister Krishnamachari (Congress) won the Chennai South seat in 1957. DMK founder Annadurai won the Chennai south seat in 1967. In the by-elections that same year it was won by Murasoli Maran who won again in 1971. Former Union minister of the Congress Venkataraman won the seat twice in 1977 and 1980. Yesteryear actor Vyjayanthimala of the Congress won in 1984 and 1989. DMK’s parliamentary party leader T R Baalu won four times from this seat. The AIADMK won this seat in 1991, 2009 and 2014.
