THOOTHUKUDI

Thoothukudi constituency, represented by DMK MLA P. Geetha Jeevan since her 2021 re-election, experienced significant infrastructure development alongside persistent controversies during 2021-2026. Major development initiatives included Prime Minister Modi's inauguration of Rs 4,900 crore worth of infrastructure projects, featuring the six-laning of Tuticorin Port Road (NH-138) and power transmission projects. The Fourth Drinking Water Pipeline Project, costing Rs 282.44 crore and aimed at providing clean water to over three lakh people, neared completion in 2021. The constituency also attracted substantial industrial investments, including the VinFast electric vehicle manufacturing plant, and benefited from Smart City Mission initiatives including water supply monitoring systems. However, the period was marked by significant challenges and controversies. In December 2023, severe flooding damaged infrastructure and displaced residents, with Rs 95.59 crore allocated for relief, though residents criticized delayed response and inadequate drainage systems. MLA Geetha Jeevan faced serious allegations, including a 2024-2026 Enforcement Directorate probe into recruitment corruption in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, where bribes of Rs 25-35 lakh per post were allegedly collected. Though she was acquitted in 2022 after a 21-year disproportionate assets case from her father's tenure, legal scrutiny continued with the Madras High Court allowing examination of acquittal records. Persistent civic issues included garbage accumulation, water scarcity, and inadequate waste management despite desilting efforts. The legacy of the 2018 Sterlite plant protests, which resulted in 13 deaths from police firing, continued to resonate with demands for accountability following the 2022 Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission report recommending action against police officials. Residents expressed dissatisfaction over unfulfilled promises regarding airport connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and sector-specific welfare for fishermen and farmers. As the 2026 assembly elections approach, voters face a choice between acknowledging significant infrastructure investments and industrial growth against unresolved civic problems, corruption allegations, and incomplete welfare promises.