Absence of AIADMK nominee may favour DMK

By M. Balaganessin

CUDDALORE, APRIL 30. With the last-minute announcement by the Tamil Maanila Congress that it is fielding, Mr. P.R.S. Venkatesan, former MP and also former MLA from Cuddalore, the party electioneering for the Assembly poll has gained momentum. It was only on the eve of the close of nominations that Mr. Venkatesan's name was announced, and speculation on the selection of the candidate, was ended.

Though the Marumalarchi DMK has also fielded its candidate, Mr. Sow. Padmanabhan, it is a straight fight between Mr. Venkatesan and the DMK candidate, Mr. Ila. Pughazhendhi, who is seeking re- election.

Both are political heavyweights with their father's popularity to add to their strength. Mr. Venkatesan's father, the late P.R. Srinvasa Padayatchi, was the district president of the undivided Congress in the undivided South Arcot district during the Kamaraj era, while the DMK MLA's father, the late Parithi Ilamvazhudhi, was a close lieutenant of the DMK chief, Mr. M. Karunanidhi.

Voters may settle for one of these two, relegating to the background the other nominees. They may not take a risk by choosing an unfamiliar candidate, though they say neither of the two has nursed the constituency.

Interestingly, both Mr. Pughazhendhi and Mr. Venkatesan would be locking horns here for the second time. In the first contest in 1991, Mr. Venkatesan got 51,459 votes and Mr. Pughazhendhi, 36,284. In the 1996 and 1989 elections, Mr. Pugazhendhi won securing 72,480 votes and 42,790 votes respectively.

Unlike as in other constituencies, the Cuddalore segment accounts for an electorate of different castes, not attaching much weightage to the caste-based factor. An analysis of the outcome of elections since the 1970s would show that the segment had returned only a non-Vanniya candidate, including a Muslim.

Mr. Pugazhendhi claims to be responsible for having mooted a proposal for the construction of a bridge across the backwaters of the Uppanar at Singarathoppe in Cuddalore Old Town, the foundation for which had been laid by the then PWD Minister, Mr. Karunanidhi in the 1970s.

There is an element of dissatisfaction among the voters against both the contestants, for nothing concrete had been done for the construction of an overbridge at Thiruppapuliyur. Voters are surprised over the delay in the execution of this project, especially when the DMK claims credit for several bridges throughout the State. They say no concrete step had been taken by Mr. Venkatesan (during his tenure as MP) for the railway overbridge.

However, Mr. Pughazhendhi points out that steps had been taken only during his latest tenure and ``pre-qualification tenders'' had been called for the proposal. But, the electorate does not seem to have gained any confidence on the overbridge proposal in Cuddalore town.

A cross-section of voters say the AIADMK should have fielded a candidate. The allocation of the seat to the TMC coupled with the selection of Mr. Venkatesan could favour the DMK nominee. They point out that the ``by and large a good governance'' by the DMK government and the delay in announcing the TMC nominee were added advantages for the DMK candidate.

TMC cadres are hopeful there would be a shift in the trend, especially after the AIADMK chief, Ms. Jayalalitha's electioneering in the district scheduled for this week.

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Section  : State Elections
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