In the same breath, deceased Congress veteran Ponnammal, mother of incumbent state Mahila Congress president Jhansi Rani, had also won five times from Nilakotai. Sitting Oddanchathiram MLA and DMK whip Chakrapani has also left an imprint there by romping home in style since 1996. Balabharathi of CPM would have joined the likes of Periasamy and Andi Ambalam if only her state secretary G Ramakrishnan let her fight for third consecutive term from Dindigul town seat. 

The DMK has created a strong base in the district notwithstanding, one has to admit that the consecutive victories are more due to individual popularity than party strength. 

Noted Dravidian scholar K Thirunavukkarasu, who attributes the consecutive victory to individual leader’s relationship with people, says, “They are following a good old Dravidar Kazhagam tradition of connecting with the people. From birth to death, these leaders participate in all family functions. Decades back, they used to say, even Jawaharlal Nehru would lose had he contested against Sri Lanka-born trade union leader SVC Anthony Pillai in Madras. Though we cannot compare them to contemporary leaders, it is good that they are maintaining the personal relationship, which makes them popular and first choice of parties for elections.” 

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