AIADMK has announced sitting MLA P. Thangamani as its candidate for the Kumarapalayam Assembly constituency in Namakkal district. He is set to contest from the seat for the fourth time, after serving as Tiruchengode MLA (2006–2011) and winning Kumarapalayam in 2011, 2016 and 2021.
Thangamani, who served as a minister for a decade from 2011 to 2021, has begun election work in the constituency. However, he is expected to face a tougher contest this time amid local discontent over pending issues.
In the 2021 election, he had promised a bridge across the Anangur railway gate. Though he won, the project reportedly stalled at the study stage after a change in government, and residents cite recurring traffic congestion as a major grievance.
A proposal to set up a common effluent treatment plant at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore was also announced due to the large number of dyeing units in the area. While the site is now said to be finalised at Pallakkapalayam after opposition to earlier locations, the project has not begun. The shifting of the Kumarapalayam taluk office to the Cauvery old bridge area has also added to public dissatisfaction.
On the political front, DMK regional in-charge and former minister Senthil Balaji is campaigning with the stated aim of defeating Thangamani. The DMK is also considering fielding Palu, a former DMK union chairman from Pallipalayam, described as financially strong and well-known locally. Meanwhile, two aspirants from T.V.K. are also exploring a run, which could split votes and intensify the contest.
