Cuddalore district has got its first woman Minister in Selvi of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. She has been elected for the second consecutive term from the Bhuvanagiri Assembly constituency.
She polled 87,413 votes and defeated her close rival T.Arivuselvan of the Pattali Makkal Katchi who obtained 74,296 votes. Ms Selvi had a chance entry into politics after her husband Ramajayam, AIADMK union secretary at Parangipettai, was murdered by “Othakkai Pandian,” a liquor peddler.
Ms Selvi's rise in the political hierarchy has been slow but steady. She is also a member of the AIADMK executive committee and the organiser of the district women's wing of the party. She twice held the Parangipettai Town Panchayat Chairperson post.
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During the campaign it was her refrain that since she belonged to the opposition party she did not get adequate support from the ruling DMK, and this was the reason for the continued backwardness of her constituency.
She claimed that she utilised the MLA Local Area Development Funds for construction of buildings for the anganwadis and improving the basic amenities. It is the expectations of the Bhuvanagiri residents that as she has now got a ministerial berth with Social Welfare portfolio, she would take all out measures for the development of the constituency.
The sanguine factor about the outcome of the Assembly elections is that the neighbouring Chidambaram Assembly constituency has returned K.Balakrishnan of the CPI(M), an ally of the AIADMK front, and this factor would ensure the development of the contiguous areas in a pronounced manner.
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The residents hope that Ms Selvi would energise as well as activate all the welfare boards and make available the due benefits to the members.
Two Ministers
The Cuddalore district has also the credit of having two Ministers at the same time in the Cabinet. M.C.Sampath, who has become the Rural Industry Minister, has had experience as the Local Administration Minister in the previous AIADMK regime.
However, his career had a bumpy ride because his portfolio was changed midway and due to inner-party wrangles he lost the party district secretary post. C.Ve.Shanmugham of the AIADMK, who got elected from the Villupuram Assembly constituency by defeating the former Higher Education Minister K.Ponmudy has got the School Education portfolio now.