Thomas journey: From lab to legislature
Tirupati: Dr VM Thomas, a renowned embryologist, and fertility specialist, found himself yearning for a change, a desire to serve the people beyond the confines of his laboratory. With a successful career in reproductive medicine, he sought a new challenge, one that would allow him to impact society at a broader level and entered politics by joining TDP.
His story is nothing short of remarkable. Owner of the prestigious Chennai Fertility Centre (CFC) in Chennai, he had already garnered acclaim both in India and abroad for his contributions to IVF technology.
His dedication to the field was evident as he expanded CFC to various cities, training over 5,000 IVF doctors in the process.
Recognising his leadership qualities and popularity, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu appointed Thomas as the party in-charge of the Gangadhara Nellore (GD Nellore) SC reserved constituency.
The TDP, desperate for a win in this constituency which had eluded them since 2009, placed their hopes on Dr Thomas. The stakes were high and the expectations even higher.
Thomas faced a formidable opponent in K Krupa Lakshmi, the daughter of Deputy CM Narayana Swamy, who represented the YSRCP.
The contest was fierce, but he emerged victorious with a margin of over 26000 votes, proving that the TDP’s decision to field him was a perfect.
The new MLA’s vision for GD Nellore was ambitious. He promised to focus on the all-round development of the constituency, starting with employment opportunities. “The constituency needs good industries to provide jobs to the youth,” he asserted.
He envisioned attracting IT, pharmaceutical, and automobile industries to the area besides trying to set up government degree and engineering colleges. “I will strive to solve the problems in the segment and the main thrust will be
on the development of,” he averred.