The AIADMK and its ally have fielded a mix of old and new faces for the Lok Sabha constituencies in the central region.
Five-time Lok Sabha MP and AIADMK veteran M. Thambidurai will try his luck for the third time in a row from the Karur Parliamentary constituency. The 72-year-old, who is the party’s propaganda secretary, had earlier won from Karur in 1989, 1998, 2009 and 2014. Prior to that, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Dharmapuri in 1984.One of the senior most members of the AIADMK, Mr. Thambidurai is now the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha - a post which he had held earlier for four years from 1985 to 1989.
Though a native of Krishnagiri district, Karur has remained his favourite political ground in electoral battles if the series of victories he had attained from the same constituency over the years is any indication.
He had earlier held portfolios including Law, Justice, and Company Affairs, Surface Transport in 1998-99 and had been a State Education Minister in 2001-02.