Encompassing several coastal villages in its fold, the Aranthangi constituency in Pudukottai district has the distinctive feature of having chosen candidates from Dravidian parties for over five decades.
Farming and fishing activities are the predominant livelihood occupation of the people of this constituency which also accounts for construction labourers in sizeable numbers.
The constituency’s fisher folk community are under Manamelkudi taluk while agriculturists, farm labourers, construction labourers and those in other trade are in Aranthangi and Avudaiyarkoil taluks. The absence of industrial units has necessitated the labour force of this constituency to look for greener pastures in vibrant textile towns in the western belt of the State.
As compared to other constituencies in Pudukottai district, the number of labour force hailing from this constituency employed in the textile cities of Coimbatore and Tirupur was the highest, say locals. Despite robust activity in fishing sector, the potential for setting up fish-processing units and manufacture of fishing nets are yet to be tapped, say the residents.
Absence of adequate rainfall over the years coupled with dwindling groundwater table in several areas has been a serious cause for concern especially for farmers. Provision of basic facilities is found wanting in many interiors of the constituency despite assurances from political parties. The long pending demand for underground drainage system in Aranthangi town remains unsolved. It is in this background that the constituency has geared up for another intense poll battle with candidates hitting the ground with full vigour.
Nominees of the AIADMK, the Congress and the Communist Party of India – which is a part of the People’s Welfare Front - are in the fray this time making it a keen tussle.
The local man, Su. Tirunavukkarasar, was the ‘uncrowned king’ of this constituency winning it for a record six times in a row from 1977 to 1996. Easy accessibility, maintaining good rapport with all sections of the electorate and having executed various development works as a Minister in the MGR-led cabinet in the 1980s in Aranthangi made him a darling of the masses. He had a zig-zag political career wherein he launched a political outfit after quitting the AIADMK. Subsequently, he joined the BJP to become a Union Minister and resigned from that party to join the Congress seven years ago. Despite being a well-known face in the constituency, Mr. Tirunavukkarasar lost to the AIADMK candidate in the 2011 polls from Aranthangi. Now, it is his son T. Ramachandran who is contesting from Aranthangi as a Congress nominee backed by the DMK and its allies.
This election is also a test for Mr. Tirunavukkarasar as to whether he still retains the considerable influence he had wielded among the voters. There are talks in the rival camp that the new voters were not much aware of Tirunavukkarsar’s works. Even as Mr. Tirunavukkarasar and his son are feverishly campaigning to wrest the seat, the AIADMK nominee E.A. Rathinasabhapathy has gone all out on the ground.
The entry of CPI candidate Loganathan with support from the DMDK and other partners in the People’s Welfare Front has made the poll battle interesting. Every nominee has devised his own strategy to woo the electorate in the run up to the polls.
