Madurai’s Political Line-up 2025: Who Represents the People

Madurai, one of Tamil Nadu’s major cultural and political hubs, is represented by a diverse mix of leaders across national (Lok Sabha), state (Legislative Assembly), and municipal (corporation) levels. Below is a clear, up-to-date look at these figures, their party affiliations, constituencies, and significant recent developments.

National Representation: Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha)

S. Venkatesan (CPI(M)) is Madurai’s current MP, having won the Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

He defeated major opponents from BJP and AIADMK, reflecting CPI(M)’s strong showing in this constituency.

According to his election affidavit, Venkatesan is aged in his early fifties, with declared assets in the order of ₹2.1 crore, and has some ongoing legal cases.

State Representation: Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Madurai district consists of several Assembly Constituencies (ACs), each with its own MLA. Here are some of the key ones:

Assembly Constituency Name of MLA Party Notes

Madurai East P. Moorthy (DMK) DMK Also serves as the state’s Minister of Commercial Taxes, Registration & Stamp Law.

Sholavandan (SC) A. Venkatesan DMK Reserved SC seat.

Madurai North G. Thalapathi DMK Part of broader DMK strength in Madurai district.

Madurai South Boominathan M. DMK Winner in 2021 elections.

Madurai Central Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) (DMK) DMK Holds important ministerial offices, currently Information Technology & Digital Services Minister. Representative of Madurai Central since 2016.

Madurai West K. Raju AIADMK One of the MLAs from opposition party in the district.

Thiruparankundram V. V. Rajan Chellappa AIADMK Former Mayor of Madurai Corporation, now MLA of Thiruparankundram.

Thirumangalam R. B. Udhayakumar AIADMK Significant figure in opposition in Madurai district.

Melur Selvam P. (Periyapullan alias) AIADMK Melur AC also falls under Madurai district’s legislative map.

Municipal Leadership: Madurai Corporation

Indrani Ponvasanth (DMK) is the Mayor of Madurai Corporation. She became the second woman to hold this post.

Her Deputy Mayor is T. Nagarajan from CPI(M).

Key Recent Developments

Property Tax Scam & Resignations: There is an ongoing issue involving alleged irregularities in property tax assessments using the Urban Tree Information System (UTIS). This led to the resignation of five zonal chairpersons and two standing committee heads in Madurai Corporation.

Arrest of Mayor’s Spouse: Pon Vasanth, husband of Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth, was arrested in connection with the aforementioned property tax scam. He had already been suspended from DMK for alleged anti-party activities.

Party Balance in the District: DMK holds a majority of Assembly seats in Madurai district, but AIADMK continues to maintain strongholds in several ACs. The presence of multiple party representatives across ACs indicates a competitive political terrain.

Summary: What This Means for Citizens

The current political map shows a strong presence of DMK in both state‐level representation and local governance in Madurai. However, opposition parties such as AIADMK continue to hold influential seats, especially in certain ACs. Issues like civic corruption (property tax), internal party discipline, and transparency are front and center in public discourse. Leaders like PTR (with a strong background in technocratic roles) and Moorthy (managing significant tax/registration portfolios) reflect a government emphasis on administration, public finance, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, opposition representatives and civic watchdogs are pushing for accountability and reform in civic institutions.