S. Gunasekaran (Communist Party of India politician)

S. Gunasekaran (born 21 December 1955) is an Indian politician and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Sivaganga constituency.

Personal life edit

S. Gunasekaran was born in Madurai on 21 December 1955. He is married with three children and has been State President of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association.[1]

Politics edit

Gunasekaran is a former member of Sivaganga Municipality and Sivaganga Panchayat. He has also been District Secretary for the Communist Party of India (CPI).[1]

Gunasekaran was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly as a CPI candidate from the Sivaganga constituency in the 2006 elections.[2] This was despite complications caused by a rebel Indian National Congress politician, V. Rajasekaran, who stood as an independent when his party chose to ally with the CPI in the constituency rather than field its own candidate. Rajasekaran gained significant support from other disaffected INC members during the campaign[3] but Gunasekaran had support from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).[4]

With support from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK),[4] Gunasekaran was re-elected from the Sivaganga constituency in the next elections, in 2011.[5] However, both the AIADMK and DMK fielded candidates in the 2016 elections, when Gunasekaran lost the seat to G. Baskaran of the AIADMK. On that occasion, he was the CPI candidate in an alliance involving support from the People's Welfare Front, the Tamil Maanila Congress and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.[6]

On 13 April 2017, Gunasekaran staged a three-hour fast in Tirupur in protest against officials who were refusing to implement a welfare scheme he was supporting.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Thiru. S. Gunasekaran (CPI)". Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  2. ^ 2006 Tamil Nadu Election Results, Election Commission of India
  3. ^ "MDMK has an edge over CPI in Sivaganga constituency". The Hindu. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b Scott, D. J. Walter (12 May 2016). "Land known for its valour is in squalor". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  5. ^ "List of MLAs from Tamil Nadu 2011" (PDF). Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu) Election Results". Infobase. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  7. ^ "MLA stages fast protesting officials' 'non-cooperation'". India.com. PTI. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.