In the wake of the Election Commission seeking to determine whether the situation is suitable for holding a bypoll in Tiruvarur at a time when cyclone relief work is still under way, an air of curiosity has gripped sections of the electorate in the constituency, which is scheduled to go to the polls on January 28.
A visit to Tiruvarur on Sunday revealed that relief assistance was yet to reach at least a third of the population. Collector L. Nirmal Raj, who is also the District Electoral Officer, confirmed that relief work was still under way. The recent strike by Village Administrative Officers had delayed the distribution of relief assistance. Officials of various departments had been tasked with distributing relief to the remaining 35-40% of those affected.
A senior Tangedco official said that power supply had been restored to all 574 villages, but the restoration of supply to agricultural connections and replacement of Low Tension Lines were in progress. As many as 3,239 people were engaged in carrying out the remaining work.
In addition to election-related work, a group of lower-rung revenue officials visited parts of the Tiruvarur constituency to distribute relief packs to the affected people.
“We are for conducting the bypoll. But the livelihood of those affected is paramount. It [relief and rehabilitation] has to be completed immediately,” said former MP A.K.S. Vijayan, who represented the DMK in Saturday’s consultative meeting called by the District Electoral Officer.
“We were told that nearly 50% of the relief work was still pending. Several hut-dwellers had lost their voter identity cards in the impact of the cyclone. The relief work would take a back seat if the officials are diverted to election work. It is better to hold the bypoll along with the Parliamentary election,” said G. Sundaramoorthy, district secretary, CPI(M).
However, G. Selvamani of Melakannuchangudi, who is yet to receive cash assistance for his damaged hut, said there was no need to postpone the poll. The affected people would receive the relief measures only if the election was conducted as planned, he felt.
S. Ravichandran, president, Tiruvarur District Small and Tiny Industries’ Association, said it was absurd to postpone the bypoll. The MLA seat in the constituency cannot be kept vacant for long, he said.
Canvassing for votes
Though uncertainly looms large over the conduct of the byelection, scores of DMK cadre from different parts of the State have begun descending on the constituency after party leader M.K. Stalin nominated district secretary Poondi K. Kalaivanan as the DMK’s candidate for the predominantly agrarian constituency.
According to a local DMK leader, more than 500 cadre arrived in Tiruvarur on Sunday alone and started canvassing for votes in the assigned areas. But not many cadre of the AIADMK, which is yet to nominate its candidate, were seen in the constituency. However, the ruling party has begun drawing its ‘Two Leaves’ symbol on the walls. The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) has also commenced ground work.
The police, on their part, have stepped up vigil by checking the vehicles entering the constituency from various routes.
The District Electoral Officer has sent a report to the Chief Electoral Officer. “I cannot reveal the contents of the report. But besides the ground reality, I have communicated the sentiments of the representatives of political parties. It is for the Election Commission to take a final call,” Mr. Raj told The Hindu.
