Members of Legislative Assembly-elect from AIADMK in Coimbatore are doubly happy – for winning the election and also having bright prospects for being a part of the ministry.
AIADMK sources say that three incumbents have won the election – S.P. Velumani in Thondamuthur, O.K. Chinnaraj in Mettupalayam and V.C. Arukutty in Kavundampalayam.
In Pollachi, V. Jayaraman, too, won but in the previous Assembly he represented the Udumalpet constituency, which comes under the neighbouring Tirupur district.
ADVERTISEMENT
For the AIADMK’s spectacular performance in Coimbatore – nine of 10 seats – the party general secretary and Chief Minister-designate Jayalalithaa will reward MLAs with ministerial berth, believe party workers.
Senior leaders, who do not want to be named, say that the incumbents who have won are confident of ministerial berths as ministers like Gokula Indira, Valarmathi and Natham Viswanathan have lost the election.
This has opened the window of opportunity for the incumbents.
ADVERTISEMENT
Their speculation is that the party leadership will give two ministerial berths to MLAs from Coimbatore as it was the case in the last Assembly.
Front-runner
With Mr. Velumani being the front-runner, they say that the chances for Mr. Arukutty or Mr. Chinnaraj or Mr. Jayaraman were bright.
A few other say that it may not be as simple as that – ministerial berths for incumbents because the party leadership will also factor in the caste equation and that opens the door for even first-time MLAs like P.R.G. Arunkumar (Coimbatore North MLA-elect).
Party leadership may give two ministerial berths to MLAs from Coimbatore