Banking on alliance arithmetic in triangular contest

VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan aims for a comfortable win in Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency with DMK-led alliance support.

A month ago, when the formation of an alliance in the State was still fluid, it was unclear whether VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan could contest from the Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency seat again.

In 2019, he only scraped through with a margin of 3,219 votes. But now, with the PMK exiting the AIADMK alliance and joining the BJP-led NDA he is eyeing a comfortable win with the backing of the DMK-led INDIA, and score another victory from here. “Last time, the victory margin came down because we faced a mega alliance, comprising the AIADMK, the BJP and the PMK. This time, the arithmetic of alliance favours us,” said Mr. Thirumavalavan.

Besides the strength of the DMK alliance, welfare schemes implemented by the Tamil Nadu government, especially for women, the anti-incumbency factor against the Central government and the Bharat Joda Yatra undertaken by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had strengthened his candidature, he said, adding: “Also, last time, we could get the symbol only at the last minute and it took time to popularise the symbol among voters...”

While Mr. Thirumavalavan seeks to consolidate Dalits’ votes, who have a substantial presence in the constituency, the principal Opposition party, the AIADMK, is luring Vanniyars, claiming that it was their party that secured 10.5% internal quota for the community in government jobs and educational institutions, though it had been quashed by the Supreme Court. “Our leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami introduced the reservation (within the MBC quota). If we get elected, we will consult legal experts and ensure that the reservation is restored for the community,” said AIADMK candidate M. Chandrahasan, who was also the chairman of Senthurai Panchayat Union.

He said that Chidambaram had benefited whenever the AIADMK candidates had won from the seat. “The Passport Seva Kendra was launched in the head post office of Chidambaram when the constituency was represented by AIADMK member M. Chandrakasi between 2014 and 2019. We ensured that six trains stop at Chidambaram,” Mr. Chandrahasan said, adding that the deteriorating “law and order” and “easy availability of drugs” were making the DMK government unpopular. K. Radha, a member of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said farmers could not get crop insurance during the AIADMK regime and it had become a big task to get it.

D. Devaraja, secretary of the Sivapuri branch unit of the DMDK, an ally of the AIADMK, said it would have been a walk through had the PMK been a part of the alliance as well. The AIADMK, however, feels that the presence of SDPI in the alliance would help them secure Muslim votes.

The BJP has fielded P. Karthiyayini, a former AIADMK leader who was also the Mayor of Vellore Municipal Corporation, before defecting to the BJP in 2017. Her candidature was also a surprise since the PMK eyed the constituency. However, the party is dependent on the PMK to poll the votes in this constituency.