The prestigious Kanyakumari Assembly segment is witnessing a triangular contest as the sitting MLA and the Minister for Tourism and Registration, N. Suresh Rajan of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham, K.T. Pachaimal of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham and M. R. Gandhi of Bharathiya Janata Party are in the election fray.
After the delimitation exercise the presence of Hindu Nadars has considerably increased in this constituency and it has been known that the fishermen community is the deciding factor with a desire for a ‘change' in the election..
Even though Mr. Suresh Rajan, has contributed to the development of tourism in many parts of the district particularly in Kanyakumari, he is reportedly ‘inaccessible' even to party cadres. Moreover the amassing of wealth by his family members as well as his close associates would be an issue in the coming election.
The AIADMK candidate, K.T.Pachaimal, who was the MLA of Colachel Assembly segment, defeated his nearest rival R. Sambath Chandra by a margin of 15,082 votes in the 2001 Assembly elections. Again in 2006 Assembly elections Mr. Suresh Rajan defeated his nearest rival, N. Thalavai Sundaram, the former Health Minister by a margin of 10,687 votes.
Since 1957, Ramasamy Pillai (Independent) was elected from this constituency by securing 23,313 votes, Natarajan of Congress was elected by securing 46,263 in the year 1962, Mahadevan Pillai of Congress was elected by securing 37,998 votes in 1967, Raja Pillai of DMK was elected by securing 35,884 votes in 1971, Krishnan of AIADMK was elected by securing 23,222 votes in 1977, Muthukrishnan of AIADMK was elected by securing 35,613 votes in 1980, Perumal Pillai of AIADMK was elected by securing 46,353 votes in 1984, Subramanaiya Pillai of DMK was elected by securing 33,376 votes in 1989, Ammamuthu Pillai of AIADMK was elected by securing 54,194 votes in 1991, Suresh Rajan of DMK was elected by securing 42,755 votes in 1996, Thalavai Sunadaram of AIADMK was elected from the constituency by securing 55,650 votes and in the last election N. Suresh Rajan was elected from Kanyakumari Assembly segment by a margin of only 13,687 votes.
The DMK had won the seat four times, AIADMK five times and the Congress had won the seat twice since 1957.
After the delimitation exercise, quite a large number of areas were annexed with Nagercoil Assembly segment. Initially the people from Vellalar community were the deciding factor in Kanyakumari Assembly segment. Now after the delimitation process, both the Nadars and Christians particularly the converted Christians emerged as the deciding factors.
When K.T.Pachaimal was the MLA of Colachel, he did not take efforts to implement any significant scheme except to implement the routine Government schemes.
That is probably why he preferred the Kanyakumari Assembly constituency this time. Moreover the denial of seat to former Health Minister N. Thalavai Sundaram, who was instrumental in setting up the Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam may have an affect on the poll prospect of K.T.Pachaimal to some extent.
The presence of the veteran candidate of BJP, M. R. Gandhi may split the vote bank of Vellalars.
But it would not have any effect on the poll prospects of either the AIADMK or the DMK candidates.
There are 16 candidates in the fray and the total number of electorates is 2,32,043 including 1,14,308 women.
