Trichy set to have 3 Rajya Sabha MPs

Trichy: As the last day of filing nominations for Rajya Sabha (RS) election from Tamil Nadu ended on Thursday, the number of Trichy MPs in the upper house is set to increase to three for the first time. While DMK renominated Tiruchi Siva, Indian National Congress (INC) named Christopher Tilak, a Trichy native, as its candidate. DMK is already represented by another Rajya Sabha MP, Salma, a poet and writer hailing from the district.While Rajya Sabha MPs are representatives of the state they are elected from, the coincidence of two parties nominating and electing three MPs to the upper house from the same district has come as a pleasant surprise for locals. While Tiruchi Siva's nomination was anticipated, Congress's choice of nominating 53-year-old Christopher Tilak, a resident of Ramalinga Nagar in the city, to the Rajya Sabha surprised even the party's functionaries here. As there are several pending issues to be dealt with in the district through Centre-state cooperation, especially in the airport, defence establishments, and public sector industries, locals see the development as an opportunity to resolve hiccups in regional growth. "An elevated road near Panjapur KKBT is needed at the earliest to decongest vehicular movement and prevent fatal accidents. Airport expansion is in a crucial phase too. As Lok Sabha MP Durai Vaiko is representing the constituency proactively in Delhi, one more RS MP from the district will fetch solutions," Dr M A Aleem, member, Trichy district welfare fund committee, said.