SANKARI

Sankari constituency in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, has been represented by M. Sundararajan of the AIADMK since May 2021, when he won with 115,472 votes (49.72%) defeating DMK's K.M. Rajesh. The constituency benefited from statewide development initiatives during 2021-2026, including the Jal Jeevan Mission that provided drinking water to over 7.15 lakh rural houses across Tamil Nadu at a cost of ₹2,123 crore, and the Swachh Bharat Mission which constructed over 2.43 lakh toilets. The state government sanctioned development of 20,000 km of rural roads under MGSMT scheme and initiated housing schemes including construction of over 3.30 lakh houses in rural areas through the Prime Minister's Housing Scheme. Tamil Nadu's installed power capacity was projected to increase by 31% to 47,048 MW by 2026-27, while healthcare infrastructure expanded with the National Health Mission operating 404 public hospitals and 11,030 health centers statewide. However, the constituency faces persistent civic challenges common across Tamil Nadu, including monsoon flooding that has caused waterlogging and infrastructure damage, chronic water scarcity issues particularly during dry seasons, and concerns over aging electrical infrastructure and power outages. The AIADMK party has faced broader corruption allegations at the state level, including 'cash-for-jobs' scandals, though no specific criminal cases against MLA Sundararajan were documented in public sources. As the 2026 assembly elections approach (scheduled for April 23, 2026), Sankari is expected to be a contested battleground with AIADMK fielding S. Vetrivel and DMK nominating M. Manikandan. Voters should consider both the statewide development programs implemented during this period and the persistent local civic issues that require attention, while evaluating whether constituency-specific needs have been adequately addressed by the sitting MLA over the past five years.