Delta seats: Cliffhanger for Dravidian majors

With the demise of giants of both the Dravidian majors, the Tamil Nadu campaign turf has not only lost its high voltage speeches but is also witnessing drastic changes. This is more evident in the central region of the state.

Traditionally, farmers and working class in the Delta or central districts have favoured the DMK whenever it fought the polls in alliance the Congress in the past elections.

For the DMK, the April 18 battle is a major challenge besides being a prestigious encounter as the Tiruvarur, which was represented by its late leader Karunanidhi, is facing a bypoll. But, its arch rival AIADMK has been working vehemently to cash in on the vacuum left by the DMK patriarch’s death to snatch the region from the Opposition candidates. It is evident in the way the AIADMK has fielded its candidates in the four segments out of the six in the region.

There are six Lok Sabha constituencies in the Central districts- Nagapattinam (reserved), Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Perambalur and Karur.

In 2004, the DMK-Congress alliance romped home in all the segments. In 2009, the alliance won from Nagapattinam, Perambalur and Thanjavur while Mayliduthurai, Tiruchy and Karur were clinched by the AIADMK. However, when the DMK-Congress alliance broke in 2014 elections, all the six segments swept by the AIADMK candidates.

According to the data available, the AIADMK was successful only in recent years when the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa made a whirlwind campaign across the state. For instance, the Communist citadel Nagapattinam segment was won by the ruling party only in 2014 election while the CPI retained the seat for six times and DMK four times. While in Mayliduthurai constituency, the AIADMK won in 2009 and 2014 elections, the DMK won twice, Congress a record nine times and TMC (Moopanar) twice.

Similarly, the AIADMK secured Thanjavur twice (1997 and 2014) Tiruchy thrice (2001, 2009 and 2014). In Perambaur, the AIADMK won five times (1997, 1989,1991,1998 and 2014), but the DMK was elected seven times.

In Karur the AIADMK won six times. The present AIADMK candidate M Thambidurai was sent to the Lok Sabha four times (1989, 1998, 2009 and 2014) from this seat, while DMK secured once and its ally Congress and TMC (Moopanar) won seven times each.

Local political observers said that the central region that comprises eight districts has most of the times been in DMK’s kitty as Karunanidhi’s rally used to focus more around the Delta districts especially Tiruchy, a place close to his heart. He would never miss to address Rock City voters in any election campaign.

Since agriculture is the main occupation in the region, the Cauvery issue used to be in focus in every election, which used to be a great challenge to every political party.

Apart from the Cauvery issue, drinking water shortage has been a major problem in the region and the people have commenced to announce even poll boycotts at various places, including Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam.

Meanwhile, the districts like Karur, which possess a large number of textile firms and other industries, has been waiting with a series of demands to be fulfilled. At the same time, the farmers expressed concerns over the draining of effluents into the waterbodies by the dying units that pose an environmental threat as well as affects farming activities.

The fishing community too constitute a large number of votes across the region especially in districts like, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukkottai. The fishers here have been longing to prevent the arrest by Sri Lankan Navy and have been fighting for the release of the fishermen and their boats in Sri Lanka.

Despite the region said to be strong hold of Dravidian majors of AIADMK and DMK, the arch rivals face each other only in Mayiladuthurai segment where the AIADMK has fielded S Asaithambi while S Ramalingam is contesting in DMK. In Nagapattinam, it is a fight between AIADMK and CPI, while in Thanjavur it is between DMK and TMC. Similarly, in Tiruchy none of the rivals contest as both the parties had allotted the segment to their alliance parties. In Karur, it is a fight between the AIADMK and Congress and in Perambalur it is a fight between AIADMK and IJK (in DMK symbol).

AIADMK has fielded M Thambidurai in Karur and he is contesting against S Jothimani of Congress. In Thanjavur DMK veteran SS Palanimanickam is taking on TMC candidate Natarajan. In Tiruchy Congress leader Su Thirunavukkarasar will encounter a tough fight with Sarubala R Thondaiman of AMMK and Dr V Elangovan of the DMDK which is an ally of the AIADMK. The IJK founder Parivendhar (Pachamuthu) will be contesting in Perambalur segment against AIADMK’s NR Sivapathi.