Voting pattern in the just-concluded mayoral election reveals that electors in the added areas of the Coimbatore Corporation overwhelmingly supported the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its candidate S.M. Velusamy.
In Thudiyalur, Kavundampalayam, Vadavalli, Veerakeralam, Vellakinaru, Chinnavedampatti, Saravanampatti, Vilankurichi, Kalapatti, Kuniamuthur and Kurichi – the local bodies that have merged with the Corporation – Mr. Velusamy secured nearly 100 per cent more than N. Karthik, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate.
Mr. Velusamy polled 1,00,340 votes and Mr. Karthik 53,320. In terms of percentage this means 46.20 per cent of the 2,17,168 voters in the 11 local bodies voted for the AIADMK candidate and only 24.55 per cent voted for the DMK candidate.
This, according to T. Malaravan, an AIADMK MLA and a former mayor, clearly shows that the people there believe that only the AIADMK will be able to take up development works in the area and bring on a par with the city the facilities.
Of the 11 localities, in Kavundampalayam, Vellakinaru, Chinnavedampatti, Vilankurichi and Kuniamuthur, Mr. Velusamy polled 100 per cent more than Mr. Karthik, as the accompanying graphic shows.
In the core city area too, Mr. Velusamy was way ahead of Mr. Karthik. The former polled 29.27 per cent votes and the latter only 16.22 per cent. Among the 60 wards in the core city area, Mr. Velusamy polled more than Mr. Karthik in 58.
The only areas where the former deputy mayor was ahead were Peelamedu Pudur (Ward 56) and Ondipudur South and Singanallur East (Ward 61), both his stronghold.
This has to do with the resentment over the DMK's performance in the last council, Mr. Malaravan intones.
In the run-up to the polls, political parties focussed on improving infrastructure, water supply and services like garbage collection in their campaign in the added areas. And that seemed to have resonated well among the voters.
Overall, Mr. Velusamy, the Mayor-elect, performed well in South Zone. He polled 100 per cent more than Mr. Karthik, who secured 27,273 votes. The former polled 58,340 votes.
Sources in the AIADMK say Mr. Velusamy should do justice to the votes he has got and look at overall development of the city, across wards.
