Madurai: The leaders of the AIADMK reviving the demand for the second capital to Tamil Nadu along with Chennai. The Tamil Nadu Minister Sellur K. Raju on Monday said that the late Chief Minister and founder of AIADMK M.G. Ramachandran’s choice was Madurai.

Another Minister RB Udhaya Kumar passed a resolution at a district unit meeting of the party, demanding Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselam to announce Madurai as the second capital. As the clamour grows ahead of the Assembly elections, there is speculation if this is an attempt to garner votes, as creation of a second capital city is a time-intensive process, and requires elaborate procedures to be completed and new infrastructure created. A committee needs to be formed to study the possibility, and then public views must be sought”, said Udaya Kumar.

“The demand is not to change the capital, but to create an additional one – as in the case of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court. It would help people in the southern districts in a big way.” Udhaya Kumar on Monday appealed to the Chief Minister to form a panel to study the feasibility.

Minister Raju in his speech in Madurai said “Though Chennai is the State capital; Madurai has always been the capital for art and politics. It was indeed the wish of MGR to make Madurai the second capital. It was the reason that he organised the World Tamil Conference in Madurai during his tenure.” He said that while MGR wanted Tiruchy to be made the State capital, he wanted Madurai as the second capital.