Where were you? MLAs face tough questions from voters

Trichy: "Where were you all these five years? What happened to the promises you made last time? Why are we still without proper water supply, roads, and drainage?" Disillusioned voters across the state are confronting their MLAs with a barrage of questions as they step out to seek votes for the upcoming election.The scene has been playing out across assembly segments since incumbent DMK MLAs began reaching out to constituents, including those in interior parts who may rarely get to see their representatives and register their grievances. On Saturday night, Karur district's Aravakurichi MLA R Elango, who had defeated former BJP state president K Annamalai in 2021, was confronted by residents over a host of civic issues. As Elango visited JJ Nagar in Pappanaickenpatti, a section of voters, including women, engaged in a heated exchange with him. "There is no proper water, roads or drainage. How can I give my vote? You have not come here for five years. Will you visit us only once in five years," locals were heard asking in a video that has since gone viral. Tense bouts of this sort were also seen in Thanjavur on Saturday when Kumbakonam MLA G Anbalagan was forced to retreat from Kaliyamman Temple Street. The MLA, seeking a fourth term from the seat, had to leave without reaching out to voters in the area, who complained about lack of drinking water, rainwater stagnation, and contamination of water with sewage. "For years, we have consistently voted for DMK, but it has yielded no benefit," said a resident. In Tiruchendur on Saturday, DMK MLA and minister Anitha Radhakrishnan, seeking a seventh straight term, was stopped in Kalvilai village by locals protesting against unfulfilled promises. Similar incidents have been witnessed in Rajapalayam and Andipatti involving DMK MLAs.Political analysts said it was common for MLAs who have served multiple terms to face anti-incumbency, but that it has been amplified by the rapid growth of digital platforms. "It's a very healthy trend in a democracy to hold legislators accountable. If there are many such instances, it could be a harbinger of something bigger in the two and a half weeks left," political commentator R Kannan said.