Tamil Nadu   

K. Ponmudi, R.K. Panneerselvam assigned Ministerial berths

Special Correspondent

The two Ministers from South Arcot face challenging tasks

CUDDALORE: The erstwhile South Arcot, comprising Cuddalore and Villupuram districts, has been producing Ministerial candidates, who have been forming part of the Cabinets of almost all governments.

The two candidates — K. Ponmudi from Villupuram and M.R.K. Panneerselvam from the Kurinjipadi (Cuddalore district) — have been assigned Ministerial berths in the fifth Cabinet of M. Karunanidhi. Mr. Ponmudi has been inducted as the Minister for Professional Education and Mr. Panneerselvan as the Backward Classes Welfare Minister. Both of them had already had stints as Ministers, viz., Mr Ponmudi was the Health Minister in 1989 and Transport Minister in 1996, and Mr. Panneerselvam was the Backward Classes Welfare Minister in 1996. The erstwhile colleagues in the previous government would again get the chance to work together for the overall welfare of the South Arcot region. Mr. Ponmudi served as history professor for 18 years in government colleges at Cuddalore, Gudiatham and Villupuram. Mr Ponmudi won in the 1989, 1996, 2001 and 2006 elections, and in between he lost in 1991.

Mr Panneerselvam is hailing from the family of staunch DMK supporters. His father M.R. Krishnamurthy was the district secretary of the South Arcot DMK unit. Mr Panneerselvam won the 1996 Assembly elections from Kurinjipadi and inducted into the Cabinet as Backward Classes Welfare Minister.

Mr Panneerselvam, who is also the district secretary of Cuddalore, had won the 2001 elections.

Both Villupuram and Cuddalore happen to be the backward districts with no worthwhile industrial activity.

Mainly consisting of agrarian community, whose livelihood depends upon the vagaries of weather, these districts would have to go a long way in uplifting the deprived sections, and improving the civic amenities and infrastructure.

Therefore, the Ministers from this region have cut out a challenging role for themselves to fulfil the aspirations of the electors.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Disappointment, frustration in Congress
Six more getting ready
DMK scored over AIADMK in direct contests too
Make Women Commission a statutory body: AIDWA
Coimbatore will have no representation in Cabinet
DMDK makes its presence felt in Kancheepuram
K. Ponmudi, R.K. Panneerselvam assigned Ministerial berths
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu