Appavu tests his electoral fortune again in Radhapuram

The Radhapuram Assembly segment, being represented by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, a 4-time MLA from this same segment, is witnessing the electoral battle between him and BJP’s candidate S.P. Balakrishnan, while actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam too has fielded its candidate.

Businessman and politician Alfred Vedam Thomas, popularly known as A.V. Thomas, founder of A.V.T. Group in 1925 and doyen of Indian tea industry, was the first MLA of Radhapuram constituency as he, hailing from Azhagappapuram in this segment, got elected to the Assembly in 1957 as Congress candidate. Previously, Thomas, the first Indian to own a tea plantation company, was the MP of erstwhile Srivaikundam Parliamentary constituency as Congress candidate in the 1951 election.

After winning this constituency in the first three Assembly elections, the Congress lost this segment to the DMK in 1971 when V. Karthesan got elected and AIADMK’s Y.S.M. Yousuf won the battle here in 1977.

After Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, father of BJP leader and former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, floated his Gandhi Kamaraj Desiya Congress, its candidate E. Muthuramalingam won Radhapuram in 1980 and Kumari Ananthan bagged this segment in 1984.

Even when DMK emerged victorious in 1989 to form the government after AIADMK suffered factional feud as Jayalalithaa and Janaki groups following the demise of party founder M.G. Ramachandran, Radhapuram voters reposed their faith only in the Congress as its candidate Ramani Nallathambi got elected to the Assembly. Interestingly, the BJP fielded its candidate S. Jeyaraj for the first time in Radhapuram in 1989, who polled meager 4,068 votes. Ramani Nallathamby’s winning streak continued in 1991 also as the Rajiv Gandhi assassination sympathy wave swept across Tamil Nadu. In this election, BJP’s vote share moved-up as Jeyaraj got 9,136 votes.

Then came Mr. Appavu, a former teacher, as Tamil Maanila Congress candidate in 1996 after Congress veteran G. Karuppaiah Mooppanar floated his party in protest against Congress’s electoral alliance with Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK, which was facing serious corruption charges that ultimately jeopardised her political career. His maiden electoral battle was a roaring success as Mr. Appavu won with the margin of 28,946 votes. BJP’s R. Ponnuvel garnered 13,265 votes in 1996.

Even when he contested as an independent candidate in 2001 following denial of ticket, Mr. Appavu got elected with the victory margin of 18,281 votes and he joined the DMK to become its candidate in 2006 and won the battle.

When BJP fielded Dr. Tamilisai in this segment in 2006, BJP’s vote share fell sharply to 5,343 votes from over 13,000 votes in the previous election even though her father once had strong presence in this constituency.

Actor Vijaykanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam too had a representative from Radhapuram as its candidate S. Michael Rayappan was elected to the Assembly in 2011. And, AIADMK’s I.S. Inbadurai won with the thin margin of just 49 votes with the help of postal ballots in 2016 over Mr. Appavu, who challenged this outcome in the court. Even though the postal ballots were counted again under the monitoring of Supreme Court in 2019, the apex court is yet to pronounce its verdict even though 10 long years have been lost in legal battle and Mr. Appavu got elected in the 2021 Assembly polls with his victory over Mr. Inbadurai.

Even though DMK officially fielded Mr. Appavu as the party candidate in Radhapuram only two weeks ago to take on Mr. Balakrishnan, he actually started his election work in this constituency for the Assembly election 2026 in December itself and accelerated it from January onwards, the DMK men say.

Mr. Appavu, who has executed most of the promises he made to the voters in the 2021 Assembly polls, had put-up in almost every village flex banners detailing his achievements in the past 5 years, especially the development work completed in that particular hamlet.

The implementation of ₹605-crore drinking water for 831 habitations in Radhapuram constituency, revival of Ponnankurichi drinking water scheme for benefiting 13 coastal villages in this segment, implementation of ₹465-crore drinking water project for benefiting Valliyoor and Panagudi town panchayats along with a few town panchayats and Kalakkad municipality in Nangnuneri constituency, Government ITI at Kuttam, Valliyoor Government Hospital, Additional District Court at Valliyoor, reconstruction of Valliyoor bus stand and the market, ongoing reconstruction of Alanthuraiyar check-dam in Western Ghats for improving water for irrigation under Hanumanadhi, construction of each 500 houses for the poor in Valliyoor, Panagudi and Thisaiyanvilai etc. are some of the projects implemented by Mr. Appavu in the past 5 years.

“We’re trying to get new revenue division with Valliyoor as it headquarters as the present headquarters Cheranmahadevi is far away from Radhapuram segment, especially from the coastal population of my constituency,” Mr. Appavu told The Hindu.

Still, Radhapuram has to find solutions to a lot more problems like increased bus services to Radhapuram from the villages like Ittamozhi in the north, Thalapathi Samudram in the west and Levingipuram in the south.

“We are trying to get a small transport hub in Radhapuram with workshop so that increased bus service from the villages to Radhapuram, housing all government offices including the taluk office,” says M. Joseph Belsi, DMK’s Radhapuram west union secretary.

Since the Vadamaliyaan Channel under Kodumdiyar Dam is dry during major part of the year, a link channel from the Tamirabharani – Karumaeniyar – Nambiyar flood carrier channel from Thediyoor check-dam will revive farming under 42 irrigation tanks up to Seelaaththikulam. All these 42 tanks have no water source as of now.

Implementation of lift irrigation system at Suchindram near Kanniyakumari at the cost of ₹350 crore for taking the surplus water of Pazhaiyaar in Kanniyakumari district to feed the 52 tanks under Radhapuram Channel

Radhapuram Channel 52 tanks, upgrading Valliyoor town panchayat as municipality and Koodankulam panchayat as town panchayat are some of the demands to be fulfilled.

The Government should set up fuel stations for distributing subsidised kerosene to the fishermen and extend the groynes in all coastal villages.

When he met the media in Palayamkottai on Thursday evening, Mr. Appavu hoped that he would win the battle with attractive margin of over 30,000 votes. However, the BJP, having considerable presence in this segment, is taking on him with the electoral alliance of AIADMK this time to hot-up the electioneering.

Published – April 03, 2026 09:53 pm IST