TVK Fisheries Minister Srinath has come under scrutiny after reportedly visiting Punnakayal, a village that falls within the Tiruchendur Assembly constituency, and thanking residents for supporting him in the recent Assembly election despite having been elected from the Thoothukudi constituency. The AIADMK’s IT wing ‘cooked’ Srinath for not having clarity of Assembly constituency despite winning from Thoothukudi and standing in Tiruchendur Assembly constituency limits.
The incident has sparked discussion on social media, especially since Punnakayal is part of Tiruchendur constituency and not Thoothukudi, the seat represented by Srinath in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
In fact, Tiruchendur constituency was won by DMK leader Anitha Radhakrishnan.
The minister had reportedly visited the area as part of a post-election thank-you tour. However, questions were raised after videos and photographs of the visit circulated online, with several users highlighting that the location falls outside his constituency limits.
தூத்துக்குடி தொகுதியில் வெற்றி பெற்ற மீன்வளத்துறை அமைச்சர் ஸ்ரீநாத்
தான் வெற்றி பெற்ற தொகுதி எது என்பதைக் கூட அறியாமல், திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகத்தைச் சேர்ந்த மற்றொருவர் வெற்றி பெற்ற திருச்செந்தூர் தொகுதியின் ஒரு பகுதியான புன்னக்காயலுக்குச் சென்று
தனக்கு வாக்களித்ததற்கு நன்றி… pic.twitter.com/KbtdNNx2LW
— AIADMK IT WING (@AIADMKITWINGOFL) June 3, 2026
The controversy comes in the backdrop of Srinath’s high-profile victory in the 2026 Assembly election. Contesting on behalf of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), he defeated former minister Geetha Jeevan in the Thoothukudi constituency, a result that was widely viewed as one of the biggest upsets in southern Tamil Nadu.
Srinath, who was announced as a candidate at a relatively late stage, benefited from a strong wave of support for TVK in Thoothukudi district. His victory was further aided by his local roots in Manapad and support from sections of the coastal community, as he also reportedly belongs to the fishing community and supposedly a Christian.
However, his latest visit has generated debate after questions emerged over whether he had mistakenly thanked voters in a constituency that did not elect him.
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