With two relative unknowns pitted against a veteran, the battle for the Namakkal Parliamentary seat promises to be an unpredictable contest.
Namakkal, known for its poultry industry from where six crore eggs a day are produced and distributed to other parts of the country and abroad, boasts a substantial Gounder populace, constituting around 50% of the electorate. This encompasses Kongu Vellala Gounders, Nattu Gounders, and Vettuva Gounders, alongside significant representation from scheduled castes, vanniyars, mudaliars, and other communities.
The KMDK has nominated V.S. Madeswaran, while the AIADMK has fielded S. Tamilmani, both hailing from the Kongu Vellala Gounder community. Conversely, the BJP has chosen K.P. Ramalingam, representing the Nattu Gounder caste. Amidst this, both the DMK and AIADMK command significant support bases. The KMDK, which had initially fielded S. Suriyamoorthi, found itself in a spot after a video surfaced in which he purportedly made casteist remarks, prompting a swift replacement with Madeswaran. Yet, Madeswaran lacks widespread recognition, compelling the DMK to intensify outreach efforts. The Rasipuram assembly constituency, currently represented by Minister of Forests M. Mathiventhan, is a crucial assembly segment within Namakkal constituency, and the minister and his supporters are working hard to attract votes. The state government, prior to the election announcement, had provided thousands of land pattas to the people, which the DMK believes will translate into votes.
Similarly, AIADMK contender Tamil Mani’s limited popularity poses a challenge, and former Minister P. Thangamani is working relentlessly to endear him among the voters. The party has an advantage in the Sankagiri and Paramathi Velur constituencies, as they won in these areas during the 2021 assembly elections. However, they lost in the Rasipuram and Tiruchengode assembly constituencies by a margin of just over 3,000 votes. Despite this, AIADMK remains strong in Namakkal, according to party functionaries.
The BJP’s nomination of Mr. Ramalingam, a seasoned politician, adds intrigue. Mr. Ramalingam is a well-known face among the people, having previously served as an MLA and MP in the AIADMK and the DMK. With his vast political experience dating back to the 1980s, the BJP is confident that Mr. Ramalingam will be able to attract voters from both parties.
During a recent campaign event, BJP state president Mr. Annamalai promised that the party would bring ₹900 crore in funds to link Cauvery-Thirumanimutharu, which would benefit farmers in the district. BJP functionaries believe that this promise will attract the votes of farmers.
Additionally, the NTK has fielded G. Kanimozhi. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, NTK received 38,531 votes, but in the 2021 assembly elections, it gained 69,584 votes in the six assembly segments under the Namakkal Parliamentary constituency. NTK is optimistic about attracting more votes.
