Cadres of the Congress party were elated after the allocation of the Mayiladuthurai Lok Sabha seat for the Congress Party in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK)-led alliance.
The Congress has strong base since the freedom movement in Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur region. It is also the only party that has won 9 out of 17 Lok Sabha elections held here since 1952. Party sources said most local leaders of even the Tamil Maanila Congress that won twice here have returned to the party.
The AIADMK won 2 times, DMK 3 times, CPI 1 time, Tamil Manila Congress 2 times so far from the seat.
The constituency comprises of the Assembly segments Mayiladuthurai, Sirgazhi(SC), Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district and Thiruvidaimarudur (SC), Kumbakonam, and Papanasam in Thanjavur district., all of which are represented by the DMK and its allies currently.
Though Congress cadres are happy there are also apprehensions among a section within the party that the seat may be allocated to “an outsider” as has been often been the case in the past. “Barring a few MPs from here, a majority were outsiders. This time we want someone from here to be fielded” said a party cadre.
Congress leader and former district president Pannai T Sokkalingam said Mayiladuthurai had many freedom fighters and their connection with the Congress party was a pillar of support. “There were historic peasant movements from here led by G. Narayanasamy Naidu, Congress MLA, paved the way for laws that protected farmers and agricultural labourers. This has been a Congress belt since then. We have a huge support from the minority section here. Every time caste politics was played by other parties people from the marginalised sections and secular people from other communities stood with us. They may have resentment about us but they know we can be trusted for not being divisive,” he said.
“Kidangal Sambath, a tall Congress leader and an MP from Mayuram who won in 1957 secured the highest number of votes after Jawaharlal Nehru. Our strength in Thanjavur may been diminished now but in Mayiladuthurai all our booth committees are strong. We believe that the DMK leader M.K. Stalin has allotted us this seat only after gathering detailed reports on our strength here despite having a DMK MP from here at present,” said Congress MLA S Rajkumar. “
