Tamilisai Soundararajan, senior BJP leader and former Governor of Telangana and Puducherry, who is the Mylapore candiate for TN Assembly polls 2026 | Photo Credit: Bijoy Ghosh

Mylapore is not just about the modern urban voter. A large section of the population is marginalised and has been raising its voice for basic infrastructure, says Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate contesting from the Mylapore constituency in Chennai.

“60 per cent of Mylapore is in the margin, where the residents lack adequate drinking water, electricity and proper roads. Because of the Buckingham canal, settlements along its banks are prone to floods. Garbage clearance remains poor, mosquitoes thrive and health hazards are rampant,” said Soundararajan in a chat with businessline. Land grabbing is also a problem for fisherfolk, especially by the previous MLA, she added.

“As I go out among the people, it is not just for propoganda, but to gauge the issues and list them down; I have a 100-day plan,” says the senior BJP leader and former Governor of Telangana and Puducherry, who is now returning to State politics

Situated in the central-southern part of Chennai, Mylapore is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and is also a cultural hub. One can find residents of modern gated apartments and bungalows in one stretch, the spiritual and religious middle-class population in another, and the fisherfolk residing along the narrow lanes of Santhome.

dual responsibility

Soundararajan notes that in Mylapore she has the dual responsibility of safeguarding the cultural legacy, and at the same time, to improve the basic infrastructure. “With so many temples in Mylapore, I also hear of basic rights of rituals being snatched away from the Hindus,” she added, without elaborating on these.

With such contrasting geographies, the BJP-AIADMK under the National Democratic Alliance banner is trying to blend its strengths in a bid to defeat the DMK. In the 2021 Assembly Polls, DMK had a 45 per cent vote share and the AIADMK around 37 per cent. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP got about 27 per cent vote share in Chennai South, of which Mylapore is a part.

Residents businessline spoke to say that besides preserving cultural identity and improving some of the cultural landmarks, civic issues are a big hindrance to everyday living. Flooding during rains is a perennial concern in certain low-lying pockets, despite all the large-scale stormwater drain projects being taken up. Waste management and sanitation is another.

Additionally, among the fishing community, there are reports of discontent against the sitting DMK MLA D Velu, as some say he has still not delivered on his promise to build houses for them. There was also an instance of black flags waved at the MLA as he met them to seek votes.

Speaking about DMK’s stand on delimitation, she says the party has latched on to it as a poll point to hide misgovernance.

Today, most of the women in politics are those who came from dynasties, even the women in DMK, and we need women’s reservation to bring in more economically backward and marginalized women to politics.

“People are fed up with the misgovernance of DMK. Tamil Nadu youth are fed up with the negative politics of DMK and Stalin,” says Soundararajan. There is an undercurrent of support for NDA; I strongly feel NDA will come to power and Edappadi will be the Chief Minister,” she said.

Published on April 20, 2026