Lok Sabha polls: Former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to contest from Chennai South

HYDERABAD: Former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently stepped down from her position earlier this week, will now contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Chennai South constituency. The BJP revealed her name in their latest list of candidates for Tamil Nadu.

Tamilisai was appointed as the Governor of Telangana in November 2019. However, just before the 2024 polls, she resigned from the post. After her resignation, Tamilisai insisted that her resignation was entirely her own decision. She expressed a strong desire to re-engage in "active public service."

"There wasn't any pressure involved. This was my choice. I want to serve the people directly," she clarified.

Before departing from Hyderabad, Tamilisai acknowledged her sadness at leaving the people of Telangana. However, she also conveyed her satisfaction in returning to "serving the public."

"Leaving the people of Telangana is difficult for me," she admitted. "I want to express my gratitude to everyone there, my brothers, sisters, and elders. We'll stay connected. My time in Telangana will always hold a special place in my memory. I'm truly thankful for their love and support. They'll always have a sister in me. But, I'm also happy to be returning to public service," she said.

Prior to her appointment as Telangana Governor, Soundararajan served for five years as the president of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit. She also previously attempted to secure a Lok Sabha seat in the last national elections, running as a BJP candidate in Thoothukudi. However, she was unsuccessful, losing to DMK's Kanimozhi.