Star Candidate: Jagathrakshakan/DMK

ARAKKONAM: An industrialist-politician seeking re-election for the fifth term to the Lok Sabha, incumbent Arakkonam MP Swammikannu Jagathrakshakan is a versatile leader par excellence in almost all the trades he has invested his time and energy in. An established educationist, writer, proprietor of a hospital, spiritualist and above all cash-rich politician, Villupuram-born Jagathrakshakan started his political career as an MGR fan in the AIADMK.

Elected first to the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 1980 during the heydays of MGR, Jagath made his Parliamentary debut representing the AIADMK way back in the 1984 Lok Sabha polls, reaching new heights as the Parliamentary leader of the party, only to suffer a fall after the party founder’s death.

After a long hiatus, and that too after suffering a poll drubbing in Uthiremerur as a candidate of Janaki faction of the AIADMK, he revived his political fortunes in 1999 Lok Sabha polls through RM Veerappan’s MGR Kazhagam. Attempting to cash in on caste votes, Jagath floated Veera Vanniyar Peravai in 2004. He renamed it Jananayaga Munnetra Kazhagam, a political outfit he merged with the DMK in 2009.

Elected to Parliament for the third term, this occasion as a DMK MP, he went on to become Union minister of state in the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh.

Representing a party known for its atheist ideals, Jagathrakshakan is an eminent spiritual speaker. His silver-tongued discourses on Thevaram were once so popular that even a proclaimed atheist like M Karunanidhi used to lend ears to him in admiration. The 76-year-old author of over two dozen books, most of which are spiritual, Jagathrakshakan successfully represented the voters of Arakkonam again in 2019.

Considered one of the cash cows of the DMK who could bankroll the party in times of need, Jagath would be facing PMK strongman advocate Balu in Arakkonam this time.