|
New Delhi: 40 of the UPA’s 78 ministers are fresh faces who did not figure in the Government last time.
Tamil Nadu
M K Azhagiri 59, DMK
The elder son of DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, once a rank outsider in politics, has risen in stature in his party in the past couple of years. Based in Madurai, he has now been given charge of party affairs in the southern districts. Earlier, he did not have any formal responsibility nor did he come to the
forefront. In fact, party members were directed not to have any connections with him when he ensured the defeat of a number of party candidates in 2001 Assembly and local body elections. But after three by-elections in and around Madurai region since 2006 — all won by DMK and allies — and the recent developments in the ruling family have led to his emergence. First came the post of DMK organising secretary for south districts, a powerful post with 10 Lok Sabha and 60 Assembly constituencies under his control. This election, the DMK and allies just lost one seat from the region, increasing the demand in the party to reward him with a cabinet post in Delhi.
S Jagathrakshakan 61, DMK
A prominent educationalist and member of the influential Vanniyar community, Jagathrakshakan, inducted as an MoS, made his electoral debut under MGR’s AIADMK in 1980 and entered the Lok Sabha five years later. After MGR’s death, he stayed away from active politics, only to return in 1999 as a candidate of MGR Kazhagam, a splinter group of which he was the general secretary. He contested under the DMK symbol and found himself in a host of House committees till his term ended in 2004. It was his opposition to S Ramadoss and his party PMK that made Jagathrakshakan closer to the DMK leadership in the recent past. In the run-up to the elections, he merged his outfit with the DMK and was rewarded with a ticket from Arakkonam constituency.
D Napoleon 46, DMK
When DMK was looking for a replacement for A Raja from the Perambalur seat after he moved to Nilgiris (reserved) constituency, actor D Napoleon was not among the frontrunners. But he made it to the list and also won his first Lok Sabha election. Though a first-time MP, Napoleon is not new to politics. Before he became an actor and adopted the...
More from POLITICS
| Single Page Format | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - Next |
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
 |
 |
 |
About Us | Contact Us | Advertisers | Site Map | Make us your homepage | Work for Us | RSS | Subscribe | Electronic Edition | Privacy Policy© 2009: The Indian Express Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world
