Jothimani is the Ramya Haridas of Tamil Nadu. The Indian National Congress (INC) candidate of Karur Parliamentary Constituency, contesting as part of the DMK alliance, S. Jothimani has made her mark in the Tamil Nadu’s electoral politics where money flows like water through sheer grit and hard work.
If Ramya Haridas is labelled as ‘Pengalootty’ (an endearing term for sister in Malayalam), Jothimani is ‘Thankachi’ (again, sister) in Karur.
Born as a farmer’s daughter, Jothimani had lost her father Sennimalai, a farmer, when she was a young girl. Making her entry into public life at the age of 22 as an active worker of Indian Youth Congress, Jothimani rose in the mainstream politics through the ‘Rahul Brigade.’ Though she had met with three electoral failures, the 43-year-old is still unfazed while facing her heavy-weight opponent, M. Thambidurai, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha and sitting MP of Karur.
For the 72-year-old veteran leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) who has been elected five times to the Lok Sabha and three times to the TN Assembly, the 2019 polls are proving to be one of the toughest in his career. The public meeting of Thambidurai at Vedasandur in Dindigul district was lacklustre with just around twenty people wielding the AIADMK flag. It was as predictable as watching a film after reading the script beforehand. There was no uproar, no fanfare. The candidate requested for votes in a few curt words, resembling a cane-wielding headmaster, without even bothering to get out of the vehicle. The blazing sun was wilting Thambidurai’s face as the motorcade set off for the next stop.
Even the blazing mid-day sun could not wilt the firebrand Jothi, at the public meeting held at Ayyalur at 1 p.m. The cadres claim that born in fire, the sun cannot wither her. If Ramya Haridas resorts to songs, Jothi’s forte is her fire-spitting words. And the ally, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is giving full-fledged support to the Congress candidate without any reservations. Senthil Balaji, former Minister of AIADMK, who joined the DMK last December after quitting T.T.V. Dinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), is put in charge of the electoral battle of Karur. Balaji has to prove that he is worthy of the post of district secretary that he had won within just three months of joining the DMK.
The number of aspirants for Karur Constituency was quite high in the Congress. However, Jothimani got the seat through the direct intervention of the High Command from New Delhi. Even though she is a nominee from the party’s higher echelons Jothimani has her roots firmly in the local soil. Rather than Facebook Likes, Jothimani’s assets are the accolades won from the local people for having stood with them in many issues including agitation against the unauthorised sand mining in Amaravathi River.
Jothimani is no stranger to Kerala, having served as the returning officer for the Youth Congress elections of Kerala. She is proficient in five languages including Malayalam and has penned a couple of books including a novel and a collection of poetry. One of the volumes, ‘Neer Pirakku Munn’ is aptly titled in its English translation as ‘No Shortcut to Leadership.’
Jothimani to Manorama:
The first responsibility I was given after entering national politics was in Kerala as Youth Congress Coordinator for the State. Rahul Gandhi contesting the LS polls from Kerala would certainly benefit the Congress in South India.
She is also aware of the news related to the electoral campaign of Ramya Haridas, INC candidate in Alathur Constituency of Kerala.
