Tamil Nadu: AIADMK and DMK lock horns over push for Madurai as second capital

The question that citizens of Tamil Nadu are asking is whether Tamil Nadu will go the Andhra Pradesh way and declare a second capital. As the election approaches in 2021, the politics is evident in the region. 2 AIADMK ministers have now made the demand for a second capital.

Even as the DMK opposes this demand and calling it a tactic, the ministers have already pitched the idea to the CMPalaniswami.

Madurai as the second capital for Tamil Nadu?

Tamil Nadu's current capital is Chennai, and now ministers in AIADMK are asking for a second capital in Tamil Nadu. The state elections are all set for May 2021. The Madurai West District AIADMK in a recent council meeting took up the mantle of the second capital.

The minister of revenue, disaster management and IT RB Udayakumar had said that Chennai had become congested and that CM Palaniswami should consider Madurai as the second capital. ANI quoted Udayakumar as saying, "We've requested Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to make Madurai the second capital of the state. This will provide opportunities for industrial development, and economic and employment growth in Southern districts." 

Minister of Co-operation Sellur K Raju has also supported the idea asserting that Madurai has been the 'centre of politics' in Chennai. Citing that MGR had wished for Madurai to be the capital, however, it was MGR who had also asked that Trichy should be the capital of Tamil Nadu in 1981. 

What is meant to be a development move was questioned by DMK's MLA Palanivel Thiagarajan who told Times Now that this was only a politically motivated move. He questioned whether the party had ever heeded Jayalalithaa's scheme for the development of Madurai. It has been reported that AIADMK is looking to secure votes in the Southern part of the state and that's crux on which this move comes. 

Citizens too are divided on the issue. On Twitter, many are discussing the issue, while some see it as politics, there are those who see the necessity for the second capital and yet there are some who are asking why not Trichy. 

Madurai as second capital ! Happening drama is just to cover the votes from South Tamilnadu.."- @Sindhu96_ravi on Twitter

Rome wasn't built in a day. This could be a good start for developing down south instead of dumping everything in Chennai., There could be political motives but Madurai should be made as the 2nd capital with no second thoughts."- @visitsenthil86 on Twitter

It's yet to be seen what will come of this debate, and whether we're on the dawn of a new version of Tamil Nadu.