TVK names anti-SIPCOT activist Arul Arumugam for Tiruvannamalai Assembly constituency

Environmental activist Arul Arumugam will be contesting from Tiruvannamalai Assembly constituency as a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate for the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, which will be held on April 23.

Party sources said that Mr. Arumugam has been fielded against the incumbent Tiruvannamalai DMK MLA and Minister for Public Works, E.V. Velu, for the Tiruvannamalai constituency. “It will be challenging to contest the sitting MLA in his home turf. However, with people’s support, TVK will emerge victorious,” said Mr. Arul.

The Tiruvannamalai Assembly constituency has been a DMK fort since 1996 when Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, K. Pitchandi won the seat with a victory margin of 52,978 votes. Thereafter, he won the seat in 2001, 2006, and 2011 before Mr. Velu took the mantle from him in 2016.

Mr. Arul became famous in Cheyyar region after he organised a series of farmers protests against the proposed Phase-III project of SIPCOT in Cheyyar. As part of its proposed Phase – III project, SIPCOT has identified 3,174 acres, covering nine villages such as Melma, Narmapallam, Kurumbur, Thethurai, Nedungal, Vada Alapirandan, Veerapakkam, and Lianeerkundram that comes under Anakavoor panchayat union of Cheyyar sub-division in Tiruvannamalai.

The issue flared up on November 4, 2023, when Anakavoor police arrested 20 persons including Mr. Arul under the Public Property Act 1984 and lodged them at various prisons, including the Central Prison in Vellore.  Later, the Goondas Act, 1970 was invoked against arrested farmers and activists including Mr. Arul before Chief Minister M.K. Stalin revoked the detention of six of the seven persons under the Goondas Act. Subsequently, the arrested persons were released on bail.