Three-time legislator belonging to AIADMK R. Kumaraguru is trying his luck to see whether he can extend his winning streak to the fourth time in a row.
He is pitted against DMK’s A.J. Manikannan from the Ulunderpettai Assembly segment in Kallakurichi district for the 2021 Assembly poll. An AIADMK strongman in the region, Mr. Kumaraguru shifted to Ulundurpettai in 2011 Assembly election after winning his first electoral battle from nearby Thirunavalur constituency in 2006.
In the 2011 poll from Ulundurpettai, Mr. Kumaraguru won the seat, contesting against the VCK’s M. Mohammed Yousuf, by a margin of 53,508 votes.
He retained the seat in the 2016 poll fighting against DMK’s G.R. Vasanthavel, though his victory margin came down to 4,164 votes. His supporters argue that the dip in margin was largely due to the lone fight by the PMK in the last poll. PMK candidate K. Balu captured 20,233 votes.
The constituency is dominated by the Udayar and Vanniyar communities, followed by Dalits.
The DMK candidate, Mr. Manikannan, is trying his electoral fortunes once again after he successfully won the election in 1996 from Thirunavalur constituency, which was merged with Thirukovilur and Ulundurpettai in 2011.
As for the people, who think Ulundurpettai is the link connecting Chennai with other parts of Tamil Nadu, their long pending demands are still to be addressed by the successive governments.
S. Karthik, a resident of Elavansurkottai, said upgradation of the Government Hospital at Ulundurpettai had been a long-pending demand. For any medical emergency, people have to be rushed to the Mundiyampakkam Medical College or to JIPMER in Puducherry.
There are also no government colleges for students of the region to pursue higher education, he said.
Rising fuel prices
His friend, S. Ezhumalai, who operates a mini van, said nobody was bothered about the price of petroleum products. “We can’t pass on the burden of petroleum products to customers who want to transport goods. No political party is talking about the rise in prices of diesel or petrol.” he said.
K. Lalith kumar, a resident and activist, said for the last 20 years, people of the region had been demanding the setting up of an advanced trauma care centre at the GH. People also wanted advanced facilities at the hospital to treat cardiac and other critically ill patients.
He said the stretches from Thozuthur to Villupuram and Athoor to Villupuram were accident-prone areas. “If any accident happens near our place, the patient has to be taken to Salem, Villupuram or Puducherry. By the time the patient is taken there, precious time will be lost. The government could even think of setting up a medical college. So much land is available on either side of the highway,” he said.
He also demanded the stoppage of express trains at Ulundurpettai. Currently, the passenger train running between Madurai and Villupuram stops at the station. More than 20 express trains run through the station.
“We have to either travel to Vriddhachalam or Villupuram to board express trains. There are a large number of people from our place working in other parts of the country,” Mr. Kumar said.
