Former DMK minister V Senthil Balaji, whose name has long dominated political talk in Karur, has shifted constituencies at the last moment and is set to contest from Coimbatore South. Until recently, he had been touring Karur extensively, signalling that he would seek re-election from the seat.
Balaji, who earlier served as Tamil Nadu’s Electricity Minister, spent 471 days in prison in an Enforcement Directorate case. Though he resigned his ministerial post, he continued to be active in the constituency, laying foundation stones and completing local works such as drinking water, roads and drainage projects.
He has been telling supporters that projects worth about Rs 1,500 crore were implemented for the Karur constituency and around Rs 5,000 crore for the district over five years, including initiatives like an agriculture college and a new bus stand. Despite projecting confidence of victory, he has now vacated the Karur contest.
In Karur, the DMK has fielded ACM Thyagarajan, described as Balaji’s protégé. On the other side, AIADMK’s former minister MR Vijayabhaskar—well-known in the constituency and backed across party levels—says he is prepared to take on the new candidate, while Thyagarajan asserts he can win from a seat shaped for Balaji’s campaign.
