The hand-woven Bhavani jamakkalam (carpet) and the Sangameswarar temple at Kooduthurai makes the town known to people across the country. But, jamakkalam which was recognised as a Geographical Indication in 2005, is unable to overcome the challenges and the industry is on the verge of closure.
Though jamakkalams should be produced only in handlooms, it is currently made in power looms and sold at a lower price in the market. Also, carpets made in Solapur in Maharashtra were marketed as Bhavani jamakkalams across the country. Piling of stock at societies, 5% Goods and Service Tax on the carpet and poor earnings for the weavers forced two-thirds of the weaving community to give up weaving. The temple is located at the confluence point of River Cauvery, River Bhavani and the invisible Amritha River and is visited by people from across the country for performing rites for the departed souls. However, absence of basic amenities continues to be a major demand for the devotees that remains unattended.
Another major issue is the absence of bypass road for the town leading to frequent traffic congestion worrying the visitors. Inordinate delay in land acquisition for the bypass road is a major concern for the people and the devotees. Farming is a major activity in the region that is facing problems due to pollution, implementation of the high-tension electric line project that traverse over farmlands and illegal sand mining in River Bhavani. The promise of establishing a common effluent treatment plant remains only in papers in the all these years while the demand for converting Nerinjipettai as a tourist spot where boat service across River Cauvery connecting it with Poolampatti in Salem district is yet to take shape.
In the past election, AIADMK had won seven times, Indian National Congress had won three times, DMK twice and Tamil Manila Congress and Pattali Makkal Katchi one time each.
In 1989, G.G. Gurumoorthy, an independent won the election. Sitting MLA and Minister for Environment K.C. Karuppannan takes on K.P. Durairaj of DMK while other prominent candidates in the fray are K. Sadhanandham of Makkal Needhi Maiam, M. Radhakrishnan of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and M. Sathya of Naam Tamilar Katchi. Vanniyars and Kongu Vellalar Goundars form the major vote base in the constituency and the battle is expected to be tough.
