{{Short description|Indian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | image_size = | name = Anitha R. Radhakrishnan | caption = | office2 = Member of Tamil Nadu legislative assembly for Tiruchendur | term_start2 = 19 May 2001 | term_end2 = | office1 = Minister for Housing and Urban Development | term_start1 = 9 November 2002 | term_end1 = 12 May 2006 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1951|09|19}} | birth_place = Thandupathu, Udangudi, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India | party = 24px DMK | other_party = AIADMK | spouse = | relations = | children = | occupation = | website = | office = Minister for Fisheries, Fishermen Welfare, and Animal Husbandry | predecessor = D. Jayakumar | term_start = 7 May 2021 | term_end = 5 May 2026 }} '''Anitha R. Radhakrishnan''' is an Indian politician, Minister of Tamil Nadu and Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elected from Tiruchendur constituency as AIADMK candidate in 2001, 2006 and as DMK candidate in 2009 (By-election), 2011, 2016 and 2021. He was also former Minister for Animal Husbandry and Minister for Housing & Urban Development in the 2001 AIADMK government.

== Political career == Radhakrishnan has served as a Minister of Tamil Nadu and Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elected from Tiruchendur constituency as AIADMK candidate in 2001, 2006 and as DMK candidate in 2009 (By-election), 2011, 2016 and 2021. He was also former Minister for Animal Husbandry and Minister for Housing & Urban Development in the 2001 AIADMK government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/30/stories/2009073057470100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801134220/http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/30/stories/2009073057470100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 August 2009|title=AIADMK expels 2 of its MLAs |date=30 July 2009|work=The Hindu|location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20090729/1306965.html|title=Jaya axes Sekhar, Anitha: not amused at funsters' 'anti party acts'|publisher=Webindia123|date=30 July 2009|access-date=30 July 2009|archive-date=8 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408050244/https://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20090729/1306965.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/10/stories/2002111005240100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221085538/http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/10/stories/2002111005240100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 December 2016 |title=Dhanabal and 2 other ministers dropped |date=10 November 2002 |work=The Hindu |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

He was a member of the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party in Tamil Nadu until being expelled for alleged anti-party activities on 30 July 2009 and resigned from his MLA Post after being expelled from AIADMK. After his expulsion from the AIADMK, Radhakrishnan accepted an invitation to join the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/11/stories/2009081160170400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823032507/http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/11/stories/2009081160170400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 August 2009 |location=Chennai, India |work=The Hindu |title=Anitha Radhakrishnan joins DMK |date=11 August 2009}}</ref>

In the 2009 By-election, he again contested as a DMK Candidate and won in the Tiruchendur constituency.

Even though there was an anti-incumbency wave against the DMK, he won the 2011 Assembly election in Tiruchendur constituency.<ref>{{cite web|title=List of MLAs from Tamil Nadu 2011 |url=http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/member_list.pdf |publisher=Government of Tamil Nadu |access-date=26 April 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320103427/http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/member_list.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2012 }}</ref>

On 14 May 2015, Radhakrishnan was suspended by the DMK after he and A. Soundara Pandian greeted AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa after she was acquitted in the disproportionate asset case against her.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/DMK-suspends-two-for-hailing-Jaya-verdict/articleshow/47290248.cms |title=DMK suspends two for hailing Jaya verdict |work=The Times of India |date=15 May 2015 |access-date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

In the elections of 2016, Radhakrishnan won again in Tiruchendur, beating Sarath Kumar of the AISMK.

In the 2021 assembly election, he again won from Tiruchendur constituency and he was appointed Minister for Fisheries – Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/dmks-cabinet-full-of-foes-turned-friends/articleshow/82698146.cms | title=DMK's cabinet full of foes-turned-friends | publisher=The Times of India | work=R Rangaraj | date=17 May 2021 | accessdate=17 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/m-k-stalin-cabinet-in-tamil-nadu-raj-bhavan-releases-list-of-ministers/articleshow/82430341.cms | title=DMK govt in Tamil Nadu: Names of MK Stalin's cabinet colleagues revealed | publisher=The Times of India | work=Julie Mariappan | date=6 May 2021 | accessdate=6 May 2021}}</ref>

==Electoral performance== ===Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Election=== {|class="sortable wikitable"style="font-size: 90%" |- !Elections !Constituency !Party !Result !Vote percentage !Opposition candidate !Opposition party !Opposition vote percentage |- |2001 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|||Tiruchendur||AIADMK||{{Won}}||54.30||S. Jennifer Chandran||DMK||41.81 |- |2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|||Tiruchendur||AIADMK||{{Won}}||52.52||A. D. K. Jeyaseelan||DMK||40.05 |- |2009 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by-election|||Tiruchendur||DMK||{{Won}}||67.81||Amman T. Narayanan||AIADMK||25.57 |- |2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|||Tiruchendur||DMK||{{Won}}||47.07||P. R. Manoharan||AIADMK||46.60 |- |2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|||Tiruchendur||DMK||{{Won}}||52.97||R. Sarathkumar||AIADMK||37.38 |- |2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|||Tiruchendur||DMK||{{Won}}||50.58||M. Radhakrishnan||AIADMK||36.10 |- |2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Election |Tiruchendur |DMK |{{Won}} |39.09 |J. Murugan |TVK |35.93 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090813214000/http://www.tn.gov.in/tnassembly/assembly2001/archives/anitarr.htm Tamil Nadu Government profile]

{{Government of Tamil Nadu}} {{Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Radhakrishnan, Anitha R.}} Category:Living people Category:All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians Category:Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians Category:1952 births Category:Tamil Nadu MLAs 2001–2006 Category:Tamil Nadu MLAs 2011–2016 Category:Tamil Nadu MLAs 2016–2021 Category:Tamil Nadu MLAs 2021–2026 Category:Tamil Nadu ministers Category:Tamil Nadu MLAs 2006–2011