Amid the high-octane campaign by political parties in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha election, an independent candidate in the Tiruchirappalli constituency is making headlines for his unique canvassing while selling vegetables and making garlands in the market among his voters.
S Damodaran hails from Tiruchirappalli and is a Padma Shri awardee. The 62-year-old leader, who is contesting this poll under the gas stove symbol, started his election campaign from Gandhi Market in the area. In the market, he went from shop to shop and helped vendors in selling their products. While doing so, he also interacted with customers and sought their votes.
Talking about his journey, the politician said, “I am an Independent candidate from Trichy constituency. I am the son of the soil. I belong to Trichy. I have been working in the sanitation centre as an associate Service volunteer for more than 40 years. I started my career at the age of 21. Now I am 62. At the age of 60, I got the Padma Shree award from then President of India Ram Nath Kovind for my work in the sanitation sector. I was involved in providing access to water and sanitation facilities in rural and urban areas.”
Damodaran said that during his 40 years of social service, he has served under the leadership of nine prime ministers.
“I started my social service at the age of 21 when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. I have come across nine prime ministers in my lifetime. I worked under all centrally sponsored rural sanitation programmes and made every village a role model village,” he said.
Speaking about his unique campaign, Domdaran said, he is getting wonderful reception from people wherever he goes.
On the important projects that he wants to push for in Tiruchirappalli upon being voted to power, he said, “We need to work to make Trichy a clean and green city. People are demanding a Ring Road for the city as it is centrally located and many buses and transport vehicles are crossing Trichy…We are also working on flyovers at important areas in Trichy City.”
The central government conferred the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the Padma series of awards, on S Damodaran for his distinguished service in the field of social work.
The award was in recognition of his service as a “social worker who has dedicated his life to sanitation promotion in villages and slums in South India.”
(With ANI Inputs)
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