NTK candidate Lakshmanan sees contest in Virudhunagar constituency as one between him and two “outsiders”

Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate Lakshmanan for Virudhunagar Assembly constituency said his USP was that he was rooted to Virudhunagar constituency, taking a dig at the candidates of both the Dravidian majors, who he, said were ‘outsiders’.

While the DMDK candidate (in DMK-led alliance) V. Vijayaprabhakaran was from Chennai, the AIADMK candidate V.G. Ganesan, was from Sivakasi, he said.

His main complaint is that Virudhunagar being a leading district in school education lacked in Government colleges for Engineering and Law.

“The neighbouring Sivaganga district has got both these institutions though it is a smaller district. Besides, Virudhunagar town being the district headquarters does not have even a Government Arts and Science College,” he said.

With so many students getting passed out from Plus Two, they need to travel a lot to find a seat in Government Arts and Science or engineering or law college, said adding that his party would strive to bring those institutions in Virudhunagar.

Besides, he rued about the lack of basic amenities in the district headquarters. “Sivakasi is not even a Corporation. The printing and fireworks units with promising job opportunities, have lured thousands of men and women… and has become a Corporation. Virudhunagar on the other hand, has no such opporunties. Sale of agricultural products like Chilli, Pulses, oil seeds, cotton are the only flourishing business here “, he claims.

“Water scarcity is perennial in this drought prone area and has not been looked into by the major political parties. The storage efficiency of the Anaikuttam dam that has been renovated recently could not be tested owing to poor monsoon this year.

NTK would give importance to the Alagaranai project. When executed, it would benefit Virudhunagar district as well as to Kadanayanallur (in Tenkasi), Vilathikulam (in Thoothukudi) and” Paramakudi (in Ramathapuram)”, he said.

A Computer Science graduate Mr. Lakshmanan is hopeful of his victory with a strategy of securing a minimum of 200 votes in each of the 281 booths in Virudhunagar constituency.