TIRUNELVELI/THOOTHUKUDI

Actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Neethi Maiyam has fielded M. Vennimalai, 53, Chief Executive Officer of a Chennai-based software firm and a native of Thoothukudi, as its candidate for Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr. Vennimalai, an engineering graduate, has obtained MBA from Texas A&M University. His wife Sarada is running a pharma firm. One of his sons, Manickavasagam, is an engineer and another son, Subbiah, is a doctor.

“I’ve got many relatives from Tirunelveli and I am fully aware of the problems the district is facing despite its immense natural and human resources. My priority will be creating employment opportunities, especially in the field of software industry, for the youth of the district,” Mr. Vennimalai said.

The party’s candidate for Kanniyakumari constituency, J. Ebenezer, 32, is from Tirunelveli district, but he settled down in Chennai. He holds a diploma in Advanced Theology. “I, along with my friends and like-minded youth, carried out relief work during the Chennai floods in 2015. My active participation in jallikattu protest at Marina, farmers’ agitations at Neduvasal and Kathiramangalam and the protest against demonetisation gave me an identity,” Mr. Ebenezer says.

Businessman T.P.S Pon Kumaran, 59, has been declared the party’s candidate from Thoothukudi Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr. Pon Kumaran, who runs a firm involved in shipping of cereals and food items, is the grandson of former MLAs P.P.M.T. Ponnusamy Nadar and M. Ratnasabapathy Nadar, who represented the Congress and the DMK respectively.

Mr. Pon Kumaran, who holds an M.Com, in a release, promised to protect and promote MSMEs, especially local industries, work towards development of infrastructure at V.O.C. Port and bring environment-friendly industries to the constituency, if elected.