After a gap of 22 years, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam takes on arch rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the Congress’ citadel. Both the Dravidian parties have fielded lawyers, who are first-time contestants.
With no industrial activity, agriculture is the only source of livelihood for people, with floriculture and horticulture as predominant occupation. Even as the Vaigai flows across the constituency, its southern side is very fertile and the northern side barren. The 58{+t}{+h}channel project, started during the DMK regime, is the only hope of farmers in this dry belt. Laying a 10-km-long canal to draw water from the Vaigai to fill irrigation tanks in Nilakottai is also on paper.
Desilting of Pulvetti tank is a decades-old demand of farmers here. Silukuvarpatti panchayat president A. Ramachandran resigned for this cause, citing indifference of officials and poor support from government, in 2012. While M. K. Stalin touched Pulvetti tank issue in his campaign, K. Kanimozhi inspected 58{+t}{+h}channel site during her visit to Batlagundu.
A perfume factory to provide value addition to flowers grown in the constituency is another demand. Viruveedu is a major drumstick production centre and growers have been expecting a drumstick powder making unit here.
In addition, poor infrastructure, unemployment and low price for agriculture produce are some persistent issues bogging farmers. Dalits, who form the major labour force, migrate to neighbouring districts for employment after harvest season. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced the formation of a food park and perfume factory for Nilakottai under Rule 110 in the Assembly.
Fourteen candidates, including R. Thangadurai (AIADMK), M. Anbalagan (DMK), R. Azhagumani (BJP), Saravana Kumar (BSP), K. Ramasamy (DMDK), A. Sangili Pandian (Naam Thamizhar Katchi), V. Rajendran (AIFB) and five independents, are in the fray.
Nilakottai was a Congress bastion since 1957 till the DMK won in 1967 and 1971. Veteran A.S. Ponanammal of the Congress represented the constituency four times and AIADMK won it five times.
This time, the Congress abandoned Nilakottai in order to sideline Ponnammal’s granddaughter Jhansi Rani and opted for Vedasandur where DCC president R. Sakthivel Gounder is contesting.
Mr. Thangadurai is a new face to the constituency. Inner-party conflicts and lack of support from cadres are working against the candidate, who depends solely on the highly popular ‘two leaves’ symbol. On the other hand, Mr. Anbalagan belongs to a traditional DMK family. His father A. Muniandi (DMK) won in Nilakottai in 1967 and 1971. After his father, DMK fielded his brother M. Arivazhagan in the 1984 and 1991 elections. But he was defeated by AIADMK candidate P. Balusamy. Since then, the DMK offers Nilakottai to its allies, the Congress and TMC.
But the major rivals are lawyers and debutants, who do not get much support from their party cadre. DMK cadres have migrated to Palani and Athoor to campaign for former Revenue Minister I. Periasamy and his son I.P. Senthil Kumar. Community equations have little to do with pattern of voting as both the main candidates belong to the same community.
Voters are upset that incumbent A. Ramasamy (PT), who won with the AIADMK support, did not visit the constituency even to thank them.
