Nazeem, a seasoned DMK leader in Puducherry, has served multiple terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and held significant roles, including ministerial responsibilities and Leader of the Opposition. The son of Hameed Maraicaiar, he began his political career in 1983 and steadily built a strong political base in the Karaikal region, emerging as one of the most prominent DMK figures in the territory over several decades.
He was first elected to the Assembly from Karaikal North in 1990 and retained the seat in 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2006. During the 1996 DMK government, he served as Health Minister, overseeing critical public health functions. In 2006, he assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Following constituency reorganisation, he contested from Karaikal South in 2011 and secured victory.
The Karaikal South Assembly Constituency, established in 1964, is located in the Karaikal district and forms part of the Puducherry Lok Sabha constituency. With approximately 31,891 electors, it is a general, unreserved seat that has witnessed shifting political dominance over the decades.
From the 1970s to the early 2000s, leaders such as S. Ramassamy, representing AIADMK and as an Independent, and A. V. Subramanian of the Congress, dominated different phases of the constituency’s political history. In 2006, V. K. Ganapathy of the Puducherry Munnetra Congress won the seat, signalling a political shift.
In the 2011 Assembly election, Nazeem, contesting as a DMK candidate, defeated V. K. Ganapathy by approximately 1,500 votes, marking the party’s entry into the constituency’s modern political phase. However, the 2016 election produced one of the closest contests in the constituency’s history, with K. A. U. Asana of AIADMK defeating Nazeem by a razor-thin margin of just 20 votes.
Nazeem staged a decisive comeback in the 2021 election, defeating the same opponent, K. A. U. Asana, and securing a commanding victory with over 70 percent of the vote share, restoring DMK control over the constituency.
As counting continues, Nazeem’s current trailing position introduces fresh uncertainty into a constituency known for closely fought contests and shifting political allegiances. The outcome is expected to carry significant implications not only for the DMK’s standing in Karaikal South but also for the broader balance of power in Puducherry’s Assembly.
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