Odds against Arumugham

By A. V. Ragunathan

SALEM, APRIL 30. The Veerapandi Assembly constituency in Salem district has assumed the sobriquet of a `key seat' because the veteran DMK leader and Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Veerapandi S. Arumugham, is contesting there for the fifth time.

Pitted against him is the AIADMK candidate, Mr S. K. Selvam, who is currently chairman of the Veerapandi Panchayat Union. The AIADMK candidate happens to be the nephew of the Minister and hence, the contest acquires an added significance.

Even with his vast experience in politics and implementation of quite a number of welfare schemes in Salem district in general, and Veerapandi constituency in particular, the Minister cannot be said to be on a strong wicket. The odds seem to be against him, for certain crucial issues have not been properly addressed.

The impending privatisation of the Salem Steel Plant, which falls within the Veerapandi constituency, has acquired a national dimension, and the steel plant employees are up in arms against the Central and State Governments. The steel plant employees argue that Mr Murasoli Maran as Union Minister could have persuaded the Centre to drop the move to sell off the plant. But on the contrary, the Government seems to be hastening the process of privatising the unit, and hence, this move would go in favour of the AIADMK, which is siding with the employees.

Of course, the Minister has to his credit the establishment of the Periyar University, beautification of the Thirumanimutharu, provision of protected water supply to added areas and chlorine- affected places, setting up of samathuvapurams and uzhavar santhais et al. Yet, there is a gnawing doubt in the minds of the DMK cadres whether these achievements could translate into votes.

The doubts are not unfounded because the beneficiaries have been handpicked. The Minister has to live down his image of being inaccessible to the cadres and that his coteries believe only in extraconstitutional methods. The predominantly weaving community in Vembadithalam, Elampillai and Velanatham is unhappy because it is wallowing in poverty without any relief in sight.

The constituency, which could boast of a literacy rate of hardly 20 to 25 per cent, abounds in farm hands, a major chunk of whom are deifying M.G. Ramachandran and now Ms Jayalalitha, AIADMK leader. The erosion of support for the Minister in his home constituency had started way back in 1997 when the civic polls were held.

Mr. Selvam and his mother (AIADMK) won the Veerapandi and Poolavari Panchayat Unions, and the Minister's son and wife lost the elections, and this had happened when the DMK was at its acme. Feeling the pulse of the people, the Minister was said to have opted for the neighbouring Salem II seat, but it was politely turned down by the DMK leadership. Hence, the 2,06,542- strong electorate, comprising 1,05,054 men and 1,01,488 women, would decide whether the Minister would continue his political innings further or would be stopped in the track.

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Section  : State Elections
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