Former IPS officer A G Mourya, contesting from the North Chennai Lok Sabha seat on a Makkal Needhi Maiam ticket, is attempting to lure voters with promises of developing infrastructure and providing adequate water supply in the area.
Mourya says he took the plunge into politics to serve the people of North Madras.
"I too hail from an ordinary family and I am also son of this soil (North Chennai). I felt, I am the person who should take care of these North Madras people,....the ideologies of MNM also matched mine," he told PTI.
"I thought I can address the problems of the people through the political medium," he said.
Mourya during his stint in the police department served North Chennai as Deputy Superintendent of Police (Ennore), Assistant Commissioner (Washermenpet), Deputy Commissioner (Washermenpet).
He said issues like adequate water supply, health and hygiene in the locality are major issues that has been plaguing the area for 30-40 years.
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On contesting under a Makkal Needhi Maiam ticket, he said, "MNM is a new party and its ideologies attracted me, we want only to serve people and the movement attracted me..
Mourya says actor and MNM founder Kamal Haasan's political agenda inspired him to join his party.
"..people are looking for a change now," Mourya says.
His family was very supportive of his decision to take the electoral plunge, the former police official adds.
Makkal Needhi Maiam is contesting in all the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in neighbouring Puducherry.
Twenty three candidates are contesting from the North Chennai constituency.
Mourya is up against DMK's Kalanidhi Veerasamy, son of former minister 'Arcot' N Veerasamy, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam's R Mohan Raj who is contesting under the AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance.
North Chennai constitutes Thiruvottiyur, Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar, Perambur, Kolathur, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar (SC) and Royapuram.
The total number of voters in this constituency is 14,68,523.