Letters: Delimitation blues

This refers to “Aiyar manages to avoid delimitation blues” (Feb 16). Mani Shankar Aiyar, the MP representing the Mayiladuthurai constituency, deserves kudos for successfully contesting the proposal of the Delimitation Commission to abolish the constituency itself. As a non-resident hailing from that important constituency, I believe that the arguments he has advanced in his fight to save the constituency are solid and stand him in good stead.

It is fair and logical to expect that he would offer himself as a candidate of the Congress Party in the forthcoming general elections. It would do a lot of good to the constituency, the adjoining region, the country and lastly to him as well if he were to similarly plead with his colleagues in the council of ministers to ensure that the gauge conversion of the Southern Railways from Cuddalore to Mayiladuthurai is completed and broad gauge trains run on the mainline connecting Mayiladuthurai from the northern end. This part of the project of gauge conversion has been unduly delayed.

The Mayiladuthurai region has a large number of ancient temples and pilgrimages from north India will be conducted smoothly if this portion is completed without any further delay.

The minister of state for railways announced last year that the work will be completed by January. January and Pongal have gone but the broad gauge connection from the northern end has not been put into operation yet. A little more exertion from Aiyar, who has been nursing this constituency so well all these years, would help not only the residents of Mayiladuthurai but also non-residents like us who number quite a lot! We may not have our votes there to cast in his favour but our good wishes would stand him in good stead in the forthcoming elections.

S Subramanyan, Mumbai