The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam high command has adopted the same strategy employed against the party’s former State treasurer C. Seenivasan in the 2006, polls to sideline him, against Minister for Power R. Viswanathan now.
Mr. Viswanathan did not get Natham, his home constituency which he has retained since 1998.
He started his political career by winning the 1998 by-election, defeating his Congress rival Andi Ambalam.
Later, he won in 2001, 2006 and 2011, with a comfortable margin. This time he has been given Athoor constituency, a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam stronghold and home constituency of its former Revenue Minister and son of the soil I. Periasamy.
This time, it is a do-or-die battle for Mr. Viswanathan.
Having guessed that he might be shifted out of Natham to Athoor, Mr. Viswanathan had already started groundwork to lure the Athoor voters.
Mr. Periyasamy retained Athoor in 1989, 1996, 2006 and 2011 polls.
He lost Athoor only twice, to AIADMK candidates, in 1991 and 2001.
In the 2006 polls, Mr. Seenivasan was forced to contest in Athoor against the DMK stalwart Mr. Periasamy, a plot by his political rivals to weaken his position in the party. As expected, the former MP was defeated.
After the defeat, he was pushed to a corner in the party. Chances were denied to him to contest in the subsequent elections.
The treasurer post was also snatched from him. Since then, he has been acting as AIADMK district ‘Peravai’ president.
After a decade, the former State treasurer and four-time MP has been given a chance to contest in Dindigul. It will be an opportunity for him to revive his political career. The party has fielded its own candidate in Dindigul after 1996. Dindigul was offered to alliance partner Communist Party of India-Marxist by the DMK and AIADMK, in 2001, 2006 and 2011 Assembly polls after the defeat of AIADMK candidate V. Marudha Raj in the 1996 poll.
After a decade, four-time MP has been given a chance to contest in Dindigul
