Vellore
VS Boopal, a Sathuvachari resident said, “They might have mentioned some issues in passing, but both Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and DMK president MK Stalin were busy challenging and trading charges against each other than focussing on issues specific to the area.”
When Stalin charged the state government with doing nothing for the people, Chief Minister Palaniswami would reel out a list of government welfare measures implemented so far. The combined drinking water project – called Cauvery water project by the Chief Minister and Hogenakkal project by Stalin – figured in all the meetings addressed by them with both claiming it was their leader who introduced the scheme.
“Issues like a proposed road from Sathuvachari to Katpadi via the Palar river and Kangeyanallur, a flyover on the Katpadi Road and efforts to ease the heavy traffic congestion before CMC Hospital were not touched upon. In fact, it was DMDK Treasurer Premalatha who surprised the AIADMK when she reeled out a list of pending local issues during her 10-minute poll stopover at Vellore,” said a source.
While Chief Minister Palaniswami addressed one poll meeting each in Vellore, Anaicut, KV Kuppam, Ambur, Vaniyambadi and Gudiyattam Assembly constituencies, Stalin went one up on him by doing the same and canvassing support during his morning walks where he shook hands and allowed locals to take selfies with him.
Where NDA candidate AC Shanmugam scored over his DMK rival Kathir Anand was in his personally addressing the media and election meetings regularly, listing out various promises and what he had already done when the polls were cancelled last time.
During the campaign, Kathir Anand never once opened his mouth allowing either Stalin or DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi to do the talking. “Nobody has seen personally canvassing support for himself,” said a person close to him. Finally, he spoke a few words at the last public meeting during the campaign.
“AIADMK’s indirect support for triple talaq which was criticised is welcomed by Muslim women who favour the AIADMK this time with many even willing to go against the local jamaat’s diktat to vote for a specific party,” said MC Saleem of Ambur. Elaborating, he said, “prior to poll cancellation last time, tannery owners told workers to vote for the DMK on the ground that if Narendra Modi won, tanneries would be closed and they would lose jobs. But, the government slapping cases against Stalin, Kathir Anand, the Ambur private marriage hall owner and a big time tanner for holding a meeting without permission and sealing the hall is a wake-up call for locals who understand that the AIADMK now means business. AIADMK, being the ruling party in the state and in alliance at the Centre, the common feeling is that the DMK cannot do much for them and hence it would be wise to go with the ruling party.”
A senior AIADMK functionary said, “For the AIADMK, winning is a must as a loss will result in the government thinking twice about conducting local body elections.” “Losing for the DMK, will mean loss of face for Duraimurugan, as Kathir Anand other than being his son, has no locus standi to contest. It will also mean there is no DMK wave, as claimed by Stalin,” he added.
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