R. Rajendran, secretary of the Salem Central district unit of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and a close confidant of party treasurer M.K. Stalin, is making a determined bid in Salem North Assembly constituency.
He is pitted against K.R.S. Saravanan (AIADMK), Kadir Ramachandran (PMK), R. Devadoss (TMC), R. P. Gopinath (BJP) and 18 others.
The Salem North constituency was created with a majority of the areas covered by now defunct Salem 2 constituency during the delimitation process prior to last Assembly elections.
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The late DMK leader K. Rajaram was elected from here in 1971 elections. Late DMK strongman ‘Veerapandi’ S. Arumugam tried his luck from this constituency four times in the past and tasted success twice in 1989 and 2006. The DMK has fielded its candidates in this constituency in all the elections since 1967, except in 1980 and 2011 elections.
Both the AIADMK and DMK were not in the fray in the last elections. ‘Alagapuram’ R. Mohanraj of DMDK in the AIADMK led alliance and G. Jayaprakash (Congress) in the DMK led alliance, were in the fray which the former won.
Vanniar formed majority here, followed by Vellalagounder, Chettiars, Nayudu and adidravidars. Silver anklet units, sago factories, rice mills, brick kilns situated in this constituency employ a large number of workforce.
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The DMK government proposed to set up an IT Park in the outskirts of the city and also implemented a separate drinking water scheme for Salem city. The DMK supporters complain that the present AIADMK regime did not take step for completing the IT Park works. The drinking water scheme was not implemented properly, due to which many parts of this constituency continue to face water scarcity.
The closure of railway level crossings at Mulluvadi Gate – Anaimedu area and at Ponnammapettai leads to frequent traffic bottlenecks in these areas. The local people have been demanding construction of flyovers in these areas to ensure free flow of traffic along with the movement of trains. No effort has been taken so far in this direction.
Mr. Rajendran, who represented the now defunct Panamarathupatti constituency for one term, is highlighting these problems and assures completion of the IT Park works. He also highlights the promises made in the DMK manifesto on setting up Textile Park, introduction of milk in the noon-meal, free power supply for the powerloom and handloom weavers, subsidy for the purchase of autos etc.
The DMK men also claim that Mr. Rajendran is having a good personal rapport with Mr. Stalin, and this will enable him to bring many development and welfare schemes to the constituency in the case of DMK forming the government after elections.
The AIADMK party men claim credit for various schemes introduced in the constituency. But the DMDK men claim that the various new buildings, sinking of 80 borewells, construction of community halls, waiting hall at the super speciality hospital etc were all done by Mr. Mohanraj from his MLA fund, without the cooperation of the government authorities.
R. Devodass, a former MP and TMC nominee, depends on the good work done by him as a MP of Salem constituency from 1996-98. He assures overall development of the constituency in all fronts.
The Union Ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu and Suresh Prabhu campaigned for the BJP candidate R. P. Gopinath.
The PMK candidate Kadir Ramachandran is involved in house to house canvassing of votes and is banking on the majority Vannia community vote bank. Among all the poll manifestos, it is the PMK manifesto which is hailed by the voters, he says. He assures steps for easing the traffic congestion.