Madurai
The constituency, which goes to the polls on October 21, with three panchayat unions, including Nanguneri, Kalakad and Palayamkottai, remains under-developed for long years now.
The constituency has a total electorate of 2,56,414, including 1,27,025 men, 1,29,385 women and four others as per the draft electoral roll released on January 1, 2019.
Agriculture is a main source of livelihood for many in this constituency and hence the ruling AIADMK is banking on the Tamirabarani- Karumeniyar-Nambiyar river interlinking project, which is underway.
On the other hand, the Congress, a key ally of the DMK, finds fault with the State government over lack of development, triggering unemployment.
While several voters were looking forward to developments, including job creation, voters from some habitations were frustrated as their demands were not met and even threatened to boycott the polls if their demands were not fulfilled by the government.
According to Subhashini Mallathi, leader, Mallar Perayam, the foremost demand for excluding seven sub-castes such as Pallar, Kudumbar, Pannadi, Kaalaadi, Kadayar, Devendrakulatar and Vadhiriyaar from the list of Scheduled Castes and commonly name such sub-castes as ‘Devendrakula Vellalar’ is yet to be fulfilled by the government. The demand has been growing since a long time now, but the government seldom bothered.
The State government should consider the legitimate demand of these people and make amends and notify it in the gazette without further delays. Condemning the government’s delay in fulfilling the sole demand, several people in the community from a total of 13 villages had hoisted black flags in their houses some time back.
The struggle for this social change has become a dominant factor in the ensuing by-poll. It became a grim reality that whenever political parties fielded their candidates to contest from this constituency, promises were made during pre-poll campaigns to fulfil their demands. But it was all in vain as nothing happened. The community in these villages was seen only as votebank by the politicians. The Dravidian parties had been ruling the State in tandem for long years, but this demand remains unmet.
Since the government ignored the demands of this community, the situation forced the people to boycott the upcoming by-poll, she said.
Voters of these habitations remain steadfast in their opposition to polling and recently AIADMK Minister Vellamandi Natarajan was forced to give up campaigning at Moolakaraipatti, where some cadre of Puthiya Tamilagam raised objection to his campaign.
Though several candidates are in the fray, the contest is likely between the Congress, a key ally of the DMK, and the AIADMK this time
Among 299 polling booths, 36 booths have been identified as ‘sensitive booths’. Besides, 28 check-posts have been set up in parts of the constituency. To avoid any caste-based issue, 20 statues of caste leaders were brought under heavy security. Currently, adequate security force has been deployed with companies of Tamil Nadu Special Police.
The electoral authorities also sought central paramilitary force to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. Over 1,500 polling personnel underwent training on handling of electronic voting machines on Saturday in the first phase at Tirunelveli, sources said.
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