Several people in Madurai and other southern districts were delighted after RB Udhayakumar, Minister for Revenue, Disaster Management and Information Technology on Sunday during a meeting with party cadre in Madurai raised a demand seeking Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to declare Madurai also as a capital city next to Chennai.

Speaking to reporters in Madurai, the Cooperation Minister said though Chennai remains the administrative capital of the state, Madurai emerges to be the political capital. In those days, founder of AIADMK and former chief minister MG Ramachandran also wished to make Madurai as the second capital. He also recalled that the World Tamil conference was conducted aiming to elevate Madurai’s status as the second capital.

Moreover, Raju said Madurai assumes greater significance as former chief minister and AIADMK supremo used to take political decisions in the city. Citing all these factors, he sought both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister to initiate action to bestow the much awaited status to Madurai.

Also taking a dig at MNM founder Kamal Haasan, the Minister said Kamal may be a king in film industry, but an LKG student in politics.