Tamil Nadu election 2026: Lack of infrastructure development plagues Tirumangalam constituency

An Assembly segment that achieved ignominy for the ‘Tirumangalam formula’, gets ready to elect a representative. In the 2009 by-election, the systematic bribing of voters saw a landslide victory for the DMK and also brought with it disrepute to the party. In successive elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, they have played second fiddle to the AIADMK. Now 16 years hence, this formula is the best kept open secret and has become ubiquitous in the electoral scenario in the State. Parties such as the Left and the BJP had raised a hue and cry in 2016 against both the DMK and the AIADMK for resorting to this bribing of voters. Now, in 2026, the Left is in alliance with the DMK and the BJP has joined hands with the AIADMK and cash for votes is just another issue on the election landscape.

The Tirumangalam Assembly segment has the potential to become a satellite township of Madurai. But, infrastructure development in Tirumangalam, which became a Grade 1 municipality in 2013, has been at a slow pace. It serves as a junction for Tirumangalam-Rajapalayam, a key section of the Madurai-Kollam highway and NH-44 (Kashmir-Kanyakumari) highway.. The road network, a dedicated railway station and Kappalur industrial estate make it a strong contender for being an industrial corridor. Yet, it lags behind in infrastructure development. No steps have been taken to transform it into a logistics hub with cargo terminals and warehousing facilities.