CHENNAI: Villivakkam resident A Priyadharshini is set to be the youngest councillor in the city corporation. The 21-year- old daughter of an autorickshaw driver member, who is a member of DMK ally CPM, won from ward 98 in Central Chennai by a margin of 8,695 votes. The AIADMK candidate managing just 3,408 votes.
Promising to make the ward a model for good governance, Priyadarshini said she would also ensure the best civic amenities. “My focus would be in ensuring the residents’s issues are resolved swiftly. Since I have faced all these difficulties…,” she said.
While Priyadarshini, a DYFI member, says she didn’t spend much for the election, G Selva, central district secretary of the CPM, said she would be the face of change and would set an example on how politicians should be.
Another young DMK victor, 22-year-old D Nilavarasi, couldn’t believe that she had won in ward 136 against the wife of former councillor Gunasekaran. “I was totally blank,” said Nilavarasi, an MBA aspirant. “I have seen my father doing social service for more than 30 years by running a trust and sponsoring students for sporting events, I am sure I will be able to take it forward and do more. My focus will be hygiene and sanitation,” she said.
DMK’s Paruthi Elamsuruthi, who will be the youngest male councilor, said he had been working for the people from the time he finished college and didn’t take up any job. “My mother, Udhayakumari has been of immense help as she never forced me to take up a professional job and let me pursue my political dreams. I have worked in several wards and constituencies since 2011. I am glad the party finally recognized my work and I am happy I didn’t let them down,” he said, promising to ensure better civic amenities for people in the ward.
Other young DMK winners include Renuka, 22, in ward 42 and Sreethani, 29, in ward 70. Party spokesman Saravanan Annadurai said the idea was to give chance to youngsters and that the mayor would in all probability also be a youngster.
