Now, BJP launches a Punjab native in Tamil Nadu elections

Chennai, May 14: BJP has broken a taboo yet again, by launching a Punjab native in the Tamil Nadu elections. 66-year old IAS officer, a member of the Akila Indiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam, which is an ally of the BJP, is testing his luck in a non-native state. Ujagar Singh, a Sikh and a native of Khiali, is contesting from the Sozhinganallur constituency.

An ex-IAS Officer of Tamil Nadu cadre of 1977 batch, he has held many positions in the state and retired as Special Commissioner, Government Data Centre here in 2010. Though he is contesting with the BJP symbol, he belongs to the AIMKMK.

It is unusual to find a north Indian contesting elections in the south, especially in Tamil Nadu where political leaders often cry foul over "Imposition of Sanskrit or Hindi" by the rest of the two parties holding the reins of power at the Center.

On asking him what convinced him to stay back after his retirement and what made him fight the elections, he said:

[Read: Alternative to Dravidian parties? Modis and Sonias should speak in Tamil first in TN rallies ]

"I was convinced about the welfare programmes of the party like free education. Moreover I was requested by AIMKMK chief Devanathan to fight the polls and I know him, he is a good leader. Tamil people are very kind, nice and large hearted, they have no jealousy and no chauvinism like you find in some other places in our country. Also, my decision to stay back is in fulfilment of my promise to late Chief Minister (AIADMK founder) M G Ramachandran, a great humanist who wanted officials like me to stay back post retirement."

OneIndia News