Tambaram: MDMK a force to reckon with

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI, MAY 3.An outlying constituency that is full of residential localities fast expanding, and with an electorate of 7.76 lakhs, Tambaram cannot be won in a day.

The 61 per cent jump in the number of electors for the current Assembly elections is keeping the two major contenders, the sitting DMK MLA, Mr.M.A. Vaithiyalingam, and the TMC nominee, Mr.K. Chakrapani Reddiar, on their toes to cover the vast area.

The MDMK aspirant, Mr.K. Somu, who is seeking election and who secured over 18,000 votes in 1996, is one factor for the two major parties to reckon with.

Mr.Vaithiyalingam is not comfortable resting on the record of the last five-years, despite the fair share of help he has received from the Member of Parliament and senior DMK leader, Mr.T.R. Balu.

Braving the sweltering heat, he goes around in an open jeep near Mudichur, trying to explain to the electorate the DMK Government's measures to speed up the Mudichur-Velachery railway overbridge project, modern Tambaram bus terminus project, and setting up of a Siddha Medicine institute. ``This constituency is peculiar and at the same time privileged to witness Central and State Government-assisted massive projects worth over Rs.1,500 crores'', he says.

Crores on the one side, the concern is more basic for the voters, such as water supply and crime. The DMK MLA admits to areas of scarcity. The other issue is helping out the small scale and tiny industries. On the East Coast Road bottlenecks and proposed remedies, he says, ``we have the political will and the clearance from the Union Environmental Ministry to implement the expansion of the ECR (to make it a motorable 100 ft road) which has, in the recent past, witnessed mushrooming of entertainment centres''.

Here again, water is not far in the background, as an issue. Residents of the colonies along the ECR say drinking water has turned saline due to indiscriminate consumption. ``It is an undisputable fact that the water has turned saline and in some places become brackish. I strongly feel that the present DMK regime should continue for another five-year term to restrict illegal tapping of potable water and to replenish the water table'', says Kottivakkam resident and Secretary of Thiruvanmiyur Nadar Sangha Peravai, Mr.C. Manthiram.

The 60-year-old rival, Mr.Chakrapani Reddiar, hailing from an agricultural family and with a nearly 40 year experience in politics, says he will set up a whole-time constituency office in three places including one in the city to redress the grievances.

``I have even promised that I will donate the MLA salary for the old and the deserving orphanages'', Mr.Reddiar declares during a chat near Injambakkam on the East Coast Road. His major argument is that people are looking for a change and he is just the person for it.

The 40-year-old MDMK aspirant and president of the Palavakkam Panchayat, Mr. Somu, describes it as a ``kurukshetra war'' for him. Canvassing votes at Anakaputhur and Pammal areas, he makes a fervent appeal to give him a chance to usher in new Government- assisted progr-ammes in education and health services, and to create more job opportunities for educated youth.

``Please give Mr.Vaiko's leadership a chance to prove our strength as you have been cheated by both the DMK and the AIADMK regimes'', Mr.Somu says emphatically.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : State Elections
Previous : Chennai, a DMK bastion
Next     : T.Nagar: Even contest likely in T.Nagar