Helen wants to transform Kanyakumari

For, it is the first time that a Dravidian party candidate has been elected in this district, which had always elected only a candidate from national parties. 

At  a  “Meet all your candidates”  programme organised prior to the polls at the Kanyakumari Press Club, her BJP opponent  and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan was asked a question about the kind of challenge the two woman candidates (Helen and BSP’s Sivakami) could pose to him. 

In Helen’s  presence, an overconfident Radhakrishnan had responded thus: “I am taking part in the election to win, the women are taking part to gain some training in contesting polls!” In the end, it was by a good margin of 65,687 votes that she defeated the veteran politician.

A native of Nagarcoil town in Kanyakumari district, this Mathematics postgraduate opted to be a homemaker. Husband Davidson is a tiles businessman in Nagarcoil. Their two daughters, Davisham (Class Nine) and Anisha (Class Seven) study at Alphonso Matriculation School in Nagarcoil.

The couple are committed DMK party workers the last 20 years but have not contested any elections earlier.  Even her  application for the post of a candidate  was rushed in on the last day by Davidson following repeated pressure from friends.

She was selected among 37 competitors, including Davidson!  Helen spoke to S Lalitha of Deccan Herald in Chennai,  where she arrived with the “man behind this successful woman” to participate in the party’s executive committee meeting. Excerpts:

The only woman out of the 40 MPs elected from Tamil Nadu  and Puducherry. How exhilarating does that feel?

I clearly expected the result going by the tremendous response I received during my campaigning all over the district. So, my win is not a big surprise for my party or family.
The real tension was experienced much before as to whether the party would select me as the candidate. I am a bit disappointed by the results as I expected to garner four lakh votes but got only 3,19,968 votes!

Though a first-timer in electoral politics, your performance has been remarkable. What are the reasons?

Many.  Previous big names had shifted to other constituencies post the delimitation exercise. The women were fully impressed with the State government’s schemes like the  Rs one-per-kg rice measure, the free gas stoves and colour TV sets.

There was also a feeling among them that electing a woman representative would be to their advantage. Also, my husband and I are localites, who are involved in many social service ventures in our area.

What are the plans lined up for your constituency once you assume office?

Transform Kanyakumari into a major harbour by setting up a “mother container hub” here. This would generate 70,000 jobs and make it a commercial centre, setting up a major rubber factory, developing a four-lane expressway connecting the district with Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari and a cancer research centre at the government hospital.