From painting graffiti on walls to becoming the mayor of Tirunelveli, the story of G. Ramakrishnan

G. Ramakrishnan receives his award certificate from Tirunelveli Municipal Corporation Director NO Sukhaputra after the mayoral election on Monday. | Photo credit: Special Arrangement

There is an anecdote going around among AIA officials that the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced L. Neelamegavarnam as the candidate for the Sathankulam by-election in 2002 when he was about to paint graffiti on a wall in the assembly constituency. AIA did something similar by selecting Kittu alias G. Ramakrishnan for the post of Tirunelveli mayor. The unassuming two-time MP was known for travelling around his constituency on a bicycle to understand the problems faced by the people.

Mr. Ramakrishnan was mainly attracted to the DMK for its orators and joined the party in 1980. He became the deputy secretary of DMK 16th district in 1984 and the district secretary in 1987. His humble work ethic earned him the opportunity to contest the Tirunelveli Municipal Council elections in 2011. In 2011, he was elected as the councillor representing the erstwhile 52nd ward and after delimitation in 2022, he was elected as the councillor representing 25th ward.

Mr Ramakrishnan, who would hire an autorickshaw to travel 5 km outside the city, used to ply his constituency every day on his 35-year-old bicycle. His bicycle seat cover was red and black, matching the DMK flag. He rode his bicycle to the Town Hall as an “official candidate” along with several DMK councillors, with a red and black shawl wrapped around his neck.

While everyone expected Mr Ramakrishnan to be elected unopposed, the unexpected entry of suspended DMK MP Pavulraj made people in DMK circles anxious. However, Mr Ramakrishnan kept smiling and remained calm until the counting of votes was over, when his smile faded.

“He is a simple man. We all know the politics of the day and how much benefits one gets from being an official of a powerful party. Though he has been elected MP for the second time in a row, he lives in the same small house on Venuvana Kumarar Street in Tirunelveli town and travels only on a bicycle. Now, he has to move to the mayor’s bungalow near Palayamkottai bus stand and drives an SUV (mayor’s car),” said N. Murugan of ward 25.

Mr Ramakrishnan arrived at the Corporation Administration Office on a bicycle on Monday to participate in the mayoral election and after receiving the winner’s certificate from Commissioner NO Sukhaputra, he returned home in the mayor’s official car.