Tamilisai resigns as Governor and L-G, to contest Lok Sabha election
According to sources, the BJP is exploring the option of fielding her from Chennai South constituency; the senior leader’s return to active politics and likely candidature in the poll is seen as the party’s attempt to field a known face in Tamil Nadu
Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and LieutenantGovernor of Puducherry, on Monday resigned from her posts to contest the Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate from Tamil Nadu.
She resigned after giving a sendoff to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had stayed at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad.
Speaking to The Hindu, she said: “I resigned from the posts of Governor of Telangana and LieutenantGovernor of Puducherry and submitted a letter to President Droupadi Murmu. I have decided to return to active politics and will contest in the Lok Sabha polls.”
She rejected talk of her contesting from Puducherry. “I will not contest from Puducherry. I will contest from one of the constituen
I will not contest from Puducherry. I will contest from one of the constituencies in T.N., which will be decided by the BJP’s high command
BJP leader
cies in Tamil Nadu, which will be decided by the BJP’s high command,” she added. The party is exploring the option of fielding her from Chennai South seat as well, sources said.
Before her appointment as Governor of Telangana in September 2019, Ms. Soundararajan was the president of the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP for over five years. She unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Thoothukudi against DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. She was also given additional charge as LieutenantGovernor of Puducherry in February 2021.
The leader has joined a list of leaders who vacated the post of Governor to come back to politics.
Even during her tenure as the Governor, Ms. Soundararajan continued to voice out criticism on political developments in Tamil Nadu. Her return to active politics and her likely candidature in the Lok Sabha poll is seen as an attempt by the BJP to field a known face in the State.