Victory in Tiruvarur seat paramount for DMK

However, it is easier said than achieved as locals predict a tough triangular contest. The DMK, which is determined to retain the seat at any cost, must overcome the challenge from its arch rival - AIADMK - and the AMMK.Whilethe ruling AIADMK has fielded former minister R Jeevanandam, the DMK’s pick is party’s district secretary Poondi K Kalaivanan. The TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK has nominated its district secretary S Kamaraj to take on the two main parties.

Tiruvarur was de-reserved during the delimitation exercise carried out ahead of 2011 elections. There is a total of 1.69 lakh voters, including 1.37 lakh women and 22 others, in the constituency. It comprises 102 village panchayats, besides Tiruvarur and Koothanallurmunicipalities. There is a large Muslim population in the Assembly segment.

Going by the election records, Tiruvarur has sent only representatives of Left and the DMK.

Of the eleven elections held since 1962, CPM candidates were elec ed on five occasions, while the DMK triumphed six times.

The past two elections (2011 and 2016), especially, was a cakewalk for the DMK as the electorate elected Karunanidhi, a ‘son of the soil’, who won by a record margin. Although born in Thirukuvalai, now in Nagapattinam district, Karunanidhi moved to Tiruvarur and did his schooling there.

In 2011, Karunanidhi secured 1,09,014 votes while his rival M Rajendran of the AIADMK could only muster 58,765 votes, thereby winning by a margin of 50,249 votes. The former DMK president did one better in 2016 by increasing his victory margin to 68,366 votes.

Hepolled 1,21,473 votes, while the AIADMK candidate P Panneerselvam secured 53,107 votes.

With the demise of Karunanidhi, issues faced by the people has become the main point of election debate in this bypoll.

Tiruvarur’s economy is primarily driven by agriculture. With farmers experiencing crop loss due to water shortage, there has been renewed calls for a solution to be found inthe Cauvery water sharing issue. Other grievances include the uncertainty in completing the Tiruvarur-Thanjavur National Highway and Thanjavur- Tiruvarur- Nagapattinam Ring Road projects, poor desilting work of the Odampokki channel, that flows through the town and has turned to be a dump yard for years, and poor facilities at the Tiruvarur Medical College.