‘Ignorant’ major parties at the risk of losing fishermen’s votes

Revealing this to DT Next, Fr Churchill, general secretary of the Kanyakumari based South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF), said moves were afoot to galvanise support for their candidates through various social organisations which owe allegiance to the church. “Candidates of political parties will be informed that the SAFF would ensure that the community voted only for their representatives,” he said. 

While the AIADMK’s candidates for Kanyakumari, Colachel and Killiyur are N Dalavai Sundaram, KT Pachammal and Mary Kamala Bai respectively, DMK contests only in Kanyakumari constituency by fielding A Austin. Its allies have bagged Colchel and Killiyur constituencies. 

The fishing community in coastal Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram districts will decide on their course of action after a meeting on April 19 at Rameswaram, according to NJ Bose of the TN coastal mechanised fishermen’s association. 

E Jesuraja, the association’s Rameswaram secretary, said, “There will be a day-long fast at Thangachimadam on April 19 to demand the return of the seized boats from Sri Lanka. But putting up candidates for the polls in the coastal districts as announced earlier may not work due to the many castes among fishermen,” he added.