In Chennai’s traditionally male-dominated political landscape, a handful of women candidates from four major political parties have stepped into the electoral fray, putting forward distinct visions for their constituencies and the city.
Only the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) have fielded women candidates across the 16 constituencies in the city. The AIADMK has fielded former ministers B. Valarmathi and S. Gokula Indira to Thousand Lights and Anna Nagar respectively, and Porkodi Armstrong from Thiru. vi. ka. Nagar. Its allies PMK and BJP have fielded M. Thilagabama (Perambur) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (Mylapore) respectively.
NTK has fielded the most number of women, as part of its agenda to allocate half the constituencies it contests for women, including a transgender person. The candidates are Vennila T. (Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar), Saranya Imran (Egmore), Aysha (Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni), Srividya G. (Saidapet), Anusha V. (Thiyagarayanagar), Keerthana M. (Velachery), and S. Roshini (Villivakkam), the transgender person.
For many of them, their vision is shaped by on-the-ground experience and from interactions, with a strong focus on keeping Chennai clean and safe.
