When the BJP fielded Vanathi Srinivasan as its candidate for the Coimbatore South Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu, the party was betting on a dedicated worker who was also popular among the masses. Ms. Srinivasan faced a major challenge as the BJP was not able to win the region in the last 10 years. An advocate by profession, Ms. Srinivasan, 50, is the national head of the women’s wing of the party and a former member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
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The BJP leader is known in Coimbatore South assembly constituencies for his positive message. During the election campaign, he promised people free Wi-Fi service, a jewelery institute and geographical sign tag for jewelery manufactured in Coimbatore, and a multi-storey car parking to ease congestion in the market area. The parking area, in particular, is a priority for voters in the constituency which is popular as “Manchester of South India”. And at least until Kamal Haasan of Makkal Neithi Mayyam (MNM) and Mayura S. Jayakumar of Congress announced that they were contesting the seat.
The Coimbatore South constituency was created after the delimitation exercise of 2008 and AIADMK candidates have won from here in the last two elections. In 2016, Ms. Srinivasan secured a third place with 21.57 percent vote share, and her innovative campaign strategies – including “Coffee with Vanathi” and “Ask Oneathi” – earned her much acclaim.
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She joined the BJP in 1993, five years after becoming an active member of ABVP. In 2017, the BJP used him to reach AIADMK Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami during the peak of the political crisis in the state.
According to their website, Ms. Srinivasan was born on 6 June 1970 into an agricultural family and received her primary education in Coimbatore. He started practicing law in Chennai High Court in 1993. In October 2020, she was made the national head of the Mahila Morcha of the BJP. Ms. Srinivasan is the first woman from South India to be appointed the head of the women’s wing.