The Kovilpatti Assembly segment is all set to witness an intense electoral battle, with Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju facing off against AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran and K. Srinivasan of the CPI(M), who is the candidate of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.
As the soil of this rain-shadow region is suitable for groundnut cultivation, Kovilpatti, the second largest town in Thoothukudi district, is known for manufacturing kadalai mittai and has even earned a geographical indication (GI) tag for the superior quality of the product. Besides, the match industry provides livelihood to many families, even as the sector has been undergoing automation.
Spinning mills get their raw material — cotton — from this region, and the firecracker manufacturing units also ensure regular income for the locals.
Though agriculture is the predominant occupation here, the residents cultivate only rain-fed crops like groundnut, maize, green gram and black gram due to scanty rainfall.
With a broad base of labourers from these sectors, the Kovilpatti constituency is naturally close to the heart of the CPI, which has won this segment in seven out of 15 elections, followed by the AIADMK (four), the Indian National Congress (three) and an Independent, who won in 1957.
While the AIADMK has reposed its faith in Mr. Raju for the third consecutive time since 2011, though he won the 2016 poll by just 428 votes, the DMK shied away from challenging the Minister directly and has given the seat to it ally.
What has surprised many is Mr. Dhinakaran throwing his hat into the ring. While the presence of a large number of voters from the Mukkulathor community in Kovilpatti after delimitation is being seen as his strength, there is a school of thought that it may be a disadvantage for him. “If the Mukkulathor voters come to be seen as backing Mr. Dhinakaran en masse , it will lead to the polarisation of voters from other communities. This could favour Mr. Raju or Mr. Srinivasan, both of whom belong to the Naicker community. My presumption is that Mr. Srinivasan could get the support of voters from other communities,” says Surya Xavier, a political analyst.
He says that three murders with caste overtones, which rocked this otherwise peaceful town in recent years, have disturbed peace-loving voters. “So, they will vote against any caste polarisation,” he says. Unlike the high-profile candidates of the AIADMK and the AMMK, Mr. Srinivasan is regarded as a commoner, as was witnessed when he filed his nomination without much fanfare.
When the 2016 Assembly poll witnessed a three-cornered fight between the AIADMK, the DMK and the DMDK-led People’s Welfare Front, the contest was close. Since the Left has a sizeable presence and the MDMK, which polled 28,512 votes in 2016, are now in the DMK-led front, Mr. Srinivasan’s supporters hope this will work to his advantage. However, harping on his “achievements”, Mr. Raju believes it will be a “hat-trick victory” for him. Those backing Mr. Dhinakaran believe he will be able to spring a surprise just like he did in the 2017 bypoll in R.K. Nagar.
