ARAKKONAM

A retired IAS official on behalf of the PMK and a former legislator for AIADMK are the major contestants in this semi-urban constituency.

A retired IAS official on behalf of the PMK and a former legislator on behalf of the ruling AIADMK are the prominent contestants in this semi-urban constituency in northern part of Tamil Nadu, always considered to be a Congress fortress.

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Except for once in 1998 when AIADMK captured this seat, only Congress candidates were chosen from here on majority occasions. Former Union Minister and a Congress leader, late O V Alagesan and another party bigwig, late Jeeva Rathnam, had successfully contested from this constituency with nearly 12 lakh voters.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi, now part of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), is contesting from here for the first time and the party has fielded R Velu, a retired IAS official. The ruling AIADMK has chosen to nominate N Shanmugham, a former legislator.

PMK, a Vanniyar-dominated party, has fielded a man from that caste while the AIADMK has fielded a person from Mudaliar community. Dalits, Mudaliars and Muslims also form a good chunk of voters in this constituency.

After delimitation in 1977, Arakkonam became a separate constituency and prior to that, it was part of Tiruvallur and Tiruttani constituencies.