Velachery, a key constituency in Chennai, will see an interesting contest as second-generation politician and incumbent JMH Aassan Maulaana from the Congress, is expected to face a tough challenge from AIADMK’s ground-level leader, MK Ashok. One among Chennai’s newly formed constituencies, carved out after a State-wide delimitation in 2008, Velachery has evolved from a quiet residential neighbourhood to a bustling hub in South Chennai, linking the city’s ever expanding IT corridor with its older central business districts.
Its electorate includes a sizeable population of IT and other white-collar salaried professionals, alongside older residents and some small business owners. The MLA seat here has been a revolving door with AIADMK, DMK and the Congress having won the constituency after its formation.
In 2021, Maulaana had pipped Ashok by a slender margin of 4,352 votes. Ashok himself is no stranger to Velachery, having won the 2011 election from the constituency. The Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) have also fielded their representatives, though the contest is widely expected to be two-cornered.
Like many other areas in southern Chennai, flooding is a key issue in Velachery. In fact, a recurring sight during monsoon months is the area’s massive double decker bridge lined with parked cars, as residents move their vehicles to higher ground.
“The flooding issue has continued even in years when the rainfall has not been that heavy. I think the people here have just accepted it now,” a local resident told businessline. He says though the maintenance work is carried out regularly, it is mostly restricted to main roads with streets and smaller roads being ignored. “The big problem is the roads. When the area is already prone to floods, if the roads are constantly dug open and not properly maintained, obviously it will make things worse,” he said.
Another resident pointed to the massive garbage processing station on the Velachery-Tambaram main road, noting that spillovers into nearby localities have caused discomfort. Meanwhile, infrastructure upgrades in the area over the past few years have received mostly positive feedback, especially the construction of new road bridges as well as pedestrian skywalks. A noteworthy development has been the operationalisation of the elevated rail corridor (Mass Rapid Transit System), which had been delayed for nearly two decades.
Speaking to businessline, incumbent Aassan Maulaana said that his government has taken proactive steps to address the flooding issues, including work on the Velachery lake. “We have worked on preparatory measures before rain and have built enough storm drains and sewages to be ready for it,” he said. He added that over the next term, he will continue to focus on infrastructure development and complete many of the pending bridge projects in the area.
‘taken for a ride’
Meanwhile, addressing the public in one of his campaign events, MK Ashok said that the only achievement of the DMK and Congress legislators after him was successfully cheating the people of Velachery. “The constituency has regressed under their leadership. There has been no development,” he said. He added that the flooding situation has in fact worsened in recent years and there has not been enough work in this area.
As for his plans once elected, Ashok said that many residents have not received the patta, a legal land ownership document, and added that he will expedite the process. He also promised to replace poorly functioning storm drains in the area and build a new flyover in Thiruvanmiyur junction within the constituency.
Published on April 14, 2026