Palanivel Thiaga Rajan Interview: DMK Candidate Confident of Madurai Central Victory, Discusses Governance and Development

DMK’s Madurai Central candidate and IT minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan is confident of an easy victory in the Tamil Nadu assembly election. Preparing to leave for an evening campaign to Viswasapuri, which has a significant number of Christian residents, Thiaga Rajan says his prospects are “guaranteed”. Pitted against BJP functionary and actor Khushbu’s husband Sundar C, fielded by an AIADMK ally, besides TVK and NTK candidates, this is the third contest in Madurai Central for Thiaga Rajan, who could well pull off a win again. Excerpts:

How do you assess your prospects?
A certainty, based on our performance, and our coalition.

And your opponent, Sundar C?It’s an insult to Madurai to bring him here. He has no history of public service or public-mindedness, no sustained engagement with people, no connection to the city. He doesn’t understand the roles of councillor, MLA or minister. “Vacuous” is the word I would use.

You’ve said you never bribed voters.I have never paid for a vote, and we’ve won five elections since I entered politics in 2016. I came on a principled stand. I was a senior managing director at a global bank in Singapore, earning millions of dollars a year. I left that because I felt it was my duty. I had planned to retire after 10 years — I turned 60 last month — but the trust people of Madurai have placed in me made me defer that. I believe I can improve their quality of life.

Your opponent has flagged corruption and ‘filthiness’ in Madurai.He is uninformed. When has a govt acted against its own officers so quickly? The case in Madurai Corporation was initiated by a govt official with due clearance; arrests followed, and a chargesheet is imminent. On waste management, Madurai’s gaps are structural. They cannot be fixed incrementally. As finance minister, I sanctioned funds for a comprehensive study. The proposal — about `3,000 crore — aims to build a modern underground drainage system for the next 50 years.

You are seen as less accessible now.Between 2016 and 2021, I was an opposition MLA with no executive burden and no councillors; I was effectively the only elected representative across 22 wards and was constantly on the streets. From 2021, as minister, I handled heavy portfolios. My days ran from 9am to 9pm, often reviewing 100 files a week. That inevitably affects accessibility.

How has the shift from finance to IT been?I see myself as an agent of change. With the chief minister’s support, we drove systemic reforms. Through the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, we processed about `40,000 crore in Direct Benefit Transfers, including the recent `5,000 payment. The `5,000 payment happened so quickly that many women saw the bank SMS of the deposit before they heard the news about what it was for. We executed `6,550 crores of payments to 1.31 crore accounts in a few hours. That reflects a major upgrade in the state’s digital capabilities.

Any regrets about losing finance?Ministers serve at the pleasure of the chief minister. Portfolio allocation is about matching the person to the moment. Historically, finance is often held by chief ministers. For me to have been entrusted with it was an exception — and a bold one. Being in IT is the norm.

Would you want finance again?When I was told I might become a minister in 2021, I requested the HR & CE portfolio because of my family’s association with it. Ultimately, the chief minister decides. Ministers don’t pick portfolios.

Welfare versus fiscal discipline. How do you balance it?After 2014, Tamil Nadu saw rising revenue deficits year after year. During my tenure, we achieved the best two-year improvement while also rolling out nearly one lakh crore of programmes. Fiscal management is about ensuring spending generates growth quickly enough to strengthen revenues. Control interest payments by reducing borrowing. That’s the virtuous cycle.

How is the debt situation?It has been better prior to 2014, but it is still within the limits set by the Union Finance Commission. Compared to the Centre, we are much better. Compared to many states such as West Bengal and Kerala also, we are much better..

How much of a factor is Vijay’s entry?They are not here to spoil; they are here to participate, and that should be encouraged. It’s good that young people are getting involved. But we are also facing serious challenges, such as delimitation that could disadvantage the south. The question is whether a first-time govt can handle such issues as effectively as a movement like ours, rooted in long political struggles.

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