Star Candidate: Pon Radhakrishnan/BJP

KANNIYAKUMARI: A veteran leader and former union minister Pon Radhakrishnan (72) is one of the star candidates of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, who is contesting for the 10th time from Kanniyakumari (previously Nagercoil) Lok Sabha constituency.

Born to a traditional Congress family in Alanthangarai village near Nagercoil, Radhakrishnan joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1981 and later jumped to Hindu Munnani. Being a loyalist of Hindu Munnani founder late Rama Gopalan, Radhakrishnan contested the Lok Sabha elections from Nagercoil constituency in the 1991 elections in the BJP’s symbol and secured 1.02 lakh votes.

After joining BJP officially, Ponnar lost MP chance in two general elections (1996 and 1998) and again contested from Nagercoil Lok Sabha constituency in 1999 and became Minister of State for Youth Affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government of 1999-2004.

An advocate by profession and an RSS member, Ponnar also served as the Tamil Nadu BJP unit president from 2009- 2014. Radhakrishnan, known for his fieldwork, successfully conducted a ‘Thaamarai Sangamam’ in Madurai in 2012 and was re-elected as TN BJP unit president in 2012 December.

In alliance, Radhakrishnan won from Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha constituency again in 2014 and served as MoS in the Narendra Modi-led NDA government till 2019. Ponnar courted a controversy after calling Tamil people as ungrateful and later incited violence against minorities (Christians) during his CAA rally in 2020.

He is also remembered for his claims that the MeToo movement was launched by people with perverted minds.