Chennai, Apr 16 (PTI) AIADMK candidate R Santhanakrishnan and fledgling TVK’s V S Babu are locked in a fierce triangular contest with DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who is contesting for the fourth time from Chennai’s Kolathur Assembly constituency for the April 23 assembly elections in the state.
Though Santhanakrishnan and Babu are no novice to electoral fray, they are pitted against Stalin who had romped home the winner in 2011, 2016, and 2021 Assembly elections from Kolathur, and had established the seat as his fort.
Despite the high stakes, both Santhanakrishnan and Babu have been actively campaigning in this constituency in north Chennai, where Stalin has introduced several innovative initiatives including Mudhalvar Padaippagam, a co-working space and learning centre that was replicated in other constituencies across the state.
This three-storied white building is the first government-run co-working space in the country, and it is being managed by the Greater Chennai Corporation.
The desk space is rented out for as low as Rs 50 for six hours and is also available on a monthly package basis. The ground floor houses co-working space with 28 desks and three conference halls each with a capacity to accommodate 14 persons. The facility comes with a high-speed Wi-Fi connection and is fully air-conditioned.
The first floor provides space for students and features a library with over 1,000 books to aid them in preparing for competitive exams, charging Rs 5 per shift (three-and-a-half hours).
Stalin has been nurturing this constituency, focusing on transforming it into a model constituency through infrastructure, education and welfare projects. He regularly visits the constituency and distributes welfare aid to beneficiaries and connects with the masses.
He has exuded confidence of securing the seat for the fourth time in a row.
Providing 840 housing tenements for residents at Gowthamapuram at a cost of Rs 111.80 crore, implementing the IoT-based monitoring and odour control systems for sewage pumping stations to improve sanitation, and providing modern libraries, are among his key achievements.
He has been frequently conducting roadshows and engaging in social activities with the local youth.
Though there are 35 candidates in the fray, including Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate Soundara Pandian, in Kolathur the contest is mainly between the DMK president, Santhanakrishnan and Babu. After filing his nomination papers, Stalin told reporters that he would easily win the seat with a huge vote margin this time too.
In 2021, Stalin won by a margin of 70,384 votes against AIADMK candidate Aadhi Rajaram, who is now contesting from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency to take on Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi.
V S Babu, TVK candidate, said, “Kolathur may be a star constituency, but nothing has been done for this constituency. Unemployment is the major issue here.” Babu has formerly been with the AIADMK and is presently the joint general secretary of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam launched by actor-politician Vijay.
Santhanakrishnan, former Chennai Corporation councillor, had previously contested as an independent from the North Chennai Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 election.
Stalin, who has the onus of campaigning for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance candidates across the state, has been switching his campaign style from holding roadshows, to occasionally sipping tea with voters in the constituency, meeting the electorate during his morning walk and travelling in the Chennai metro and interacting with commuters.
Kolathur seat has an electorate strength of 2,07,251. The election will be held on April 23, and results will be announced on May 4. PTI JSP JSP ROH
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