Star Candidate: Tamilisai Soundararajan/BJP

CHENNAI: The former Governor and doctor by profession, Tamilisai Soundararajan, fondly called ‘Akka’ by her supporters, is one of the star candidates, contesting in theLok Sabha polls from Chennai. Born to Congress veteran Kumari Ananthan in Kaliyakkavilai of Kanniyakumari on June 2, 1961, Tamilisai changed her political ideology during her college days and switched to the BJP.

Prior to political commitment, Tamilisai worked as an Assistant Professor at Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai for five years. She was awarded International Rising Star of the Year -2018 by the ethnic advisory task force of the USA for her dedicated service to the society and general public and promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

Hailing from a political family, Tamilisai served the state BJP unit in various capacities starting from Chennai South district medical wing secretary in 1999, state general secretary of medical wing in 2001, All India co-convener in 2005, state general secretary in 2007, state vice-president in 2009 and elevated as National secretary of BJP in 2013.

As the BJP high-command decided to represent one of the dominant castes in Tamil Nadu, Nadar community, it had appointed Tamilisai as state BJP unit president in 2014.

During her period, Tamilisai worked hard to strengthen the party’s Kendras (booth level structure) and she even celebrated as meme material for her courage and strong speeches. After the 2019 Parliamentary elections, Tamilisai was appointed as Governor of Telangana and later was given additional charge of Puducherry in 2021.

She has lost in all her attempts at becoming an MP or MLA to date, having contested two Assembly elections and Parliament elections unsuccessfully. However, heeding to the BJP high-command, she resigned her gubernatorial post and is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency.