DMK Dharmapuri MP, S Senthilkumar, who made the ‘gaumutra states’ remark in Parliament was among those who were not renominated by the party for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.Senthil Kumar described himself as an “unconventional” politician while thanking friends on X who wondered why he was not given another chance by the party to contest the LS polls. There were also some critical comments in social media against him over remarks that became controversial in the past.
On X, the Dharmapuri MP said in a post: “Thank you Twitter friends for enormous support & unconditional love. What have I done to receive such bountiful unadulterated Love. I have done nothing spl, Other than being myself an -Unconventional politician. How am I going to repay this….” He posted a card with the word ‘love’ to his well-wishers.
He expressed satisfaction in working for the people of Dharmapuri Lok Sabha constituency for the past five years and for having brought several schemes to the region. Senthil Kumar conveyed his best wishes to A Mani, an advocate who has been named by the DMK as its candidate for the Dharmapuri LS seat.
On 5 December 2023, Senthil Kumar asked why the BJP could win polls only in the Hindi heartland states, “what we generally call as gaumutra (cow urine) states.” He had also said that “you (BJP) cannot come to south India,” while speaking on a debate on Bills related to Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP condemned it and Senthilkumar too apologised after DMK President Stalin reprimanded him.
Senthil Kumar, while taking part in a ceremony in 2022 for a local project had demanded to know why priests belonging to Christianity and Islam were not present and why Hindu rituals alone should be held at the event.
SR Parthiban (Salem), Dhanush M Kumar (Tenkasi), K Shanmuga Sundaram (Pollachi), Gautham Sigamani (Kallakurichi) and Palanimanickam (Thanjavur) were the five others who have not been renominated by the DMK.
Gautham Sigamani is the son of former Minister and senior DMK leader K Ponmudy.
The Madras HC had convicted Ponmudy in December last year in a disproportionate assets case. Ponmudy’s conviction was later suspended by the Supreme Court. A case related to Governor R N Ravi declining to appoint Ponmudy as a Minister, despite Chief Minister Stalin’s advice is pending in the apex court.