Chennai: Amid sharp political exchanges, the campaign trail is also seeing moments of warmth. In several constituencies, teachers are stepping out to campaign for their former students.In Chennai, DMK’s Thousand Lights candidate N Ezhilan’s professor J Amalorpavanathan went on a door-to-door campaign on Saturday, distributing pamphlets to voters. Amalorpavanathan recalled Ezhilan’s years at Madras Medical College, and said they continue to discuss complicated surgeries even today.“Ezhilan was a big reason for setting up an advanced toxicology centre in MMC, which is now the referral point for complicated poisoning cases across the country. He was not even an MLA, but as a doctor he went to Delhi, fought and got the centre approved. So, not just as a doctor, even as a politician, he is capable of solving complicated problems. You can trust him and vote for him,” he told voters. “Usually, students come for teachers, but I have come for my student. I’m not for any party. He did not even call me to campaign. But it is my duty and I have come voluntarily to support my student,” added Amalorpavanathan.Similarly, at Oddanchatram, an English professor, R Nedumaran, who taught minister R Sakkarapani, also joined the campaign, reaching out to voters on his behalf. At an American College alumni meeting before the polls were announced, Nedumaran publicly declared that he would go to the constituency to campaign for his student. “I am proud of him and I will support him,” said the octogenarian.
