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‘Rivals’ are enemies for VCK leader
Economy tops the list of public woes in Chidambaram (reserved) Lok Sabha constituency, where VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan faces the challenge from candidates of the ruling AIADMK and the AMMK.
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Thiruchirapalli
The constituency, which has six Assembly segments, namely Chidambaram, Bhuvanagiri and Kattumannarkoil (SC), all in Cuddalore district, Ariyalur, Jayankondam (Ariyalur district) and Kunnam (Perambalur district), has 14.79 lakh voters, including 7.42 lakh women and 59 others. While the AIADMK has fielded P Chandrasekar, the DMK front has allotted the seat to the VCK. TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK has selected A Elavarasan as its candidate.
In this constituency, where areas of three districts fall, caste factor plays a major game. With Dalits and Vanniyars almost in equal numbers in this region, there have been instances of communal clashes in the past. The PMK, which is strongly backed by the Vanniyar community, is part of the AIADMK-led alliance in this poll. In 2014, the AIADMK candidate M Chandrakasi (4.29 lakh votes) defeated Thirumavalavan (3.01 lakh votes) by a massive margin. The VCK leader, however, romped home in this seat in 2009 general elections.
According to voters, absence of industries has left them with no choice but to undertake agriculture and rely on the monsoon to a major extent.
Though there is a high potential for tourism in the constituency, they claim that those elected in the past had failed to initiate steps to tap this sector. They also want the gold covering industry, which was once popular across the country, to be revived.
Another major electoral issue is the infrastructure with a majority of the places suffering without proper roads.
Since water from Veeranam lake was being diverted to meet the needs of people in Chennai, local farmers say they don’t get enough quantum for irrigation. Similarly, farmers from Tirumanur, T-Pazhur and the adjacent areas demand a check dam across the Kollidam to store excess water.
Chidambaram Confrontation
P Chandrasekar
AIADMK’s Chandrasekar from Poyyathanallur in Ariyalur runs a business at Koyambedu market in Chennai. The former union councillor is said to be not so familiar face among the voters. Chandrasekar, who has a close association with government chief whip Thamarai Rajendran, sought the ticket to contest in the polls. Since the AIADMK has the aligned with PMK, the chief rival of VCK, he is confident of winning.
A Elavarasan
An advocate by profession A Elavarasan is from Thuraimangalam in Perambalur. He has been running an IAS academy in Perambalur. He has a strong educational background having completed a PhD, LLB and LLM. His wide knowledge in education and oratory skills would make him a major candidate. As the AMMK Perambalur Literary wing secretary, he has a close association with the party deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran. He is contesting the Lok Sabha polls for the first time.
Thol Thirumavalavan
The President of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), hailing from Senthurai in Ariyalur, rose as a prominent Dalit leader in 1990s and entered active politics in 1999. He studied criminology at the Madras University and completed law at Chennai Law college. He was awarded a PhD by the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, in 2018 for his research on Meenakshipuram conversion incident. Thirumavalavan was working as a scientific assistant in the Forensic Department, before he quit the job and took a plunge into active politics. Though he was unsuccessful in 1999 and 2004 LS polls, he won in 2009 election from the Chidambaram constituency.
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