V. Vaithilingam

V. Vaithilingam (born 5 October 1950) is an Indian politician who is the member of parliament Puducherry. He is former Chief Minister of Puducherry. He held the position as 11th Chief Minister of Puducherry from 1991 to 1996 and 14th Chief Minister of Puducherry again from 2008 to 2011. He is a senior legislator serving eight consecutive terms.

V.Vaithilingam
V. Vaithilingam at 27th Flower, Vegetable and Fruit Show, Pondicherry
MP of Lok Sabha for Puducherry
Assumed office
2019
ConstituencyPuducherry
Chief Minister of Puducherry
In office
4 July 1991 – 13 May 1996
Preceded byM. D. R. Ramachandran
Succeeded byR. V. Janakiraman
In office
4 September 2008 – 15 May 2011
Preceded byN. Rangaswamy
Succeeded byN. Rangaswamy
Speaker of Puducherry Legislative Assembly
In office
12 June 2016 – April 2019
DeputyV.P. Sivakolundu
ConstituencyKamaraj Nagar
Personal details
Born
Vaithilingam

(1950-10-05) 5 October 1950
Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu
Political partyCongress
Spouse(s)Sasikala
Children1 son and 1 daughter
ResidencePondicherry, Puducherry
Alma materLoyola College, Chennai

He is known for the family politics in Puducherry. His paternal grandfather late Vaithilingam Reddiar was the Mayor of Nettappakkam commune during the French rule in Puducherry and his father V. Venkatasubha Reddiar was also a Chief Minister of Puducherry. He headed the Puducherry Government from 1991 to 1996 and the Congress Legislative party from 1991 to 2000. His priorities as Chief Minister was to minimize the budget deficit, increase private sector participation in public transport, improve health care system. He became Chief Minister at the age of 40.

Early life

He was born at Cuddalore and was raised in his native home Madukarai, Puducherry. After completing his schooling, he went to Loyola College in Chennai and later went to Madukkarai to take care of his family farms. In 1969, Vaithilingam married Miss Sasikala. From an early age, he developed exceptional leadership skills, an example of which was his role as the Chairman of Land Development Bank of Puducherry State.

Political career

In 1980, at the age of 30, he ran for the Legislative Assembly and lost with a narrow margin of 90 odd votes. In 1985, Vaithilingam won to become Public Works and Power Minister. He became familiar among the Congress Party members. From 1991 to 1996 he served as the Chief minister of Pondicherry, under his administration, Pondicherry saw a drastic growth in the industrial and education sector. He advocated smaller government and greater participation of private sector. Vaithilingam also benefited from the management of the economy and the liberalization policies followed by Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. In 1996 elections Indian National Congress became the single largest party, but their alliance lost the elections and he was appointed as the leader of opposition till 1999. In 2001 he won from Nettappakkam constituency but could not able to become chief minister because Vaithilingam was charged with an attempt to corrupt a fellow legislature and lost his congress leadership and N. rangaswamy was chosen as chief minister he served as an M.L.A in his cabinet till 2006. In 2006 he served as the minister of agriculture and industries till 2008. He was made the Chief minister in 2008 and he served till 2011. He became leader of opposition in 2011 election and he became speaker of the house in 2016 and resigned on 2019 after becoming member of parliament, Puducherry

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections V. Vaithilingam was chosen to represent Indian National Congress party and he defeated All India N.R. Congress candidate Dr. Narayanasamy Kesavan (see Puducherry (Lok Sabha constituency)).

Electoral history
YearPostConstituencyPartyOpponentOpposition PartyResult
1980M.L.ANettapakkamINCR. Subaraya GounderJNPLost
1985M.L.ANettapakkamINCP. RamamurthyDMKWon
1990M.L.ANettapakkamINCN. DevadassDMKWon
1991M.L.ANettapakkamINCR. Subraya GounderDMKWon
1996M.L.ANettapakkamINCV. MuthunarayananIndependentWon
2001M.L.ANettapakkamINCK. DhanrajuPMKWon
2006M.L.ANettapakkamINCV. MuthunarayananPMCWon
2011M.L.AKamaraj NagarINCNara KalainathanCPIWon
2016M.L.AKamaraj NagarINCP. GanesanAIADMKWon
  • Member of Parliament
YearPostConstituencyPartyOpponentOpposition PartyResult
2019M.PPuducherryINCDr. Narayanasamy KesavanAll India N.R. CongressWon

Comeback

Vaithilingam was charged with an attempt to corrupt a fellow legislature.[1] Although he was acquitted on all charges, Vaithilingam lost his leadership of the Congress Legislative party in 2000. He was for the sixth time elected to the legislature and served as Industries and Power Minister in N.Rangaswamy cabinet in 2006.[2]

Positions Held
Political offices
Preceded by
D. Ramachandran		 Chief Minister of Puducherry
4 July 1991–13 May 1996		 Succeeded by
R.V. Janakiraman
Preceded by
N. Rangaswamy		 Chief Minister of Puducherry
4 September 2008–15 May 2011		 Succeeded by
N. Rangaswamy
Preceded by
V.M.C. Ganapathy		 Leader of Opposition of Puducherry
26 May 1996–21 March 2000		 Succeeded by
R.V. Janakiraman
Preceded by
V. Sabapathy		 Speaker of Puducherry
10 June 2016–21 Mar. 2019		 Succeeded by
V.P. Sivakolundhu
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References
  1. "The Defection Bazaar", (Outlook India), 2 April 1997
  2. "Vaithilingam sworn in as Puducherry Chief Minister", IST, PTI (Times of India), 4 September 2008.
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