Into the third election after Kallakurichi was formed as a separate Lok Sabha constituency, the 2019 parliamentary polls is all set to witness an intense two-way contest between Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate Gautham Sigamani Pon and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) nominee L. K Sudhish.
Though at the moment, the battle seems to be between the two nominees, the presence of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam candidate Komuki Maniyan, a former legislator, is keeping both the front runners on their toes as the tide could change as electioneering gathers pace.
The constituency, which faces the first Parliamentary polls after Kallakurichi was carved out from Villupuram as the 33rd district of Tamil Nadu recently, was represented by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member K. Kamaraj in the 16th Lok Sabha.
In the 2014 polls, the party nominee, K. Kamaraj, had defeated Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member R. Manimaran by a whopping 2,23,507 votes. Mr. Kamaraj had secured a lion share of 48.16 per cent votes in the polls. In the elections, DMDK candidate V. P. Eswaran polled a distant third but secured 14.82 per cent, which was more or less the same vote share secured by the party in the 2009 polls, the first after the constituency was formed after delimitation.
In the first parliamentary polls after delimitation, DMK nominee Adhi Shankar had trumped Pattali Makkal Katchi candidate K. Dhanaraju by a margin of 1,08,608 votes. Even then, the DMDK, which fielded Mr. Sudhish, had secured 1,32,223 votes, which was 15.47 per cent of the votes polled.
Encompassing Assembly segments of Rishivanthiyam, Sankarapuram, Kallakurichi (SC), Gangavalli (SC), Attur (SC) and Yercaud (ST), the Kallakurichi Parliamentary constituency has 15,12,068 Electors Photo Identity Card holders, including 7,61,191 women and 7,50,610 men voters. As per January 31 voter’s list, the constituency has 399 and 171 service and third gender voters, respectively.
Currently the Assembly segments of Gangavalli, Attur and Yercaud are represented by the AIADMK and the remaining by the DMK in the Legislative Assembly. A. Prabhu, who represents Kallakurichi Assembly constituency, is a strong loyalist of AMMK leader T.T.V Dinakaran.
One of the backward districts of the State, Kallakurichi has a significant presence of Scheduled Caste community, followed by Vanniyar and Udayar community members.
With a sizeable population into farming, the main issue that dominates the poll theme is the crisis in the sugarcane and turmeric cultivation — the two main farming activities in the constituency. There are around 12,000 live farmers registered with the two State-owned sugar mills. There are dozens of other sugar mills.
“Coupled with low yield due to lack of rain in the last two years, we are facing difficulty in getting remunerative price for the products. Though we get payment from government-owned mills, the delay in getting money for the sugarcane procured by the private mills is making livelihood difficult,” said B. Kalivarathan, president of farmers’ association in Villupuram District.
He said the focus should be to increase productivity by providing adequate fertilizers and pesticides, besides desilting canals and lakes so as to increase the storage capacity.
S. Devasenathipathy, a businessman and Rotarian, said majority of the people are dependent on farming for their livelihood. The present water crisis could have been addressed to an extent if the long pending demand to desilt Komuki dam, which is one of the main sources for ground water recharge, had been fulfilled.
“The failure of the monsoon has added to the woes of farmers,” he said.
Tribal population
Special focus should be to address the shrinking livelihood means of the large tribal population in Kalvarayan hills.
The Kallakurichi residents have been for long demanding that Vellimalai in Kalvarayan hills be upgraded a tourist destination. Adequate infrastructure in Vellimalai could increase tourist footfall to the region, he said.
Better road facility in Kalvarayan hills, interior parts of the constituency, more facilities in the Government General hospital and addressing drinking water crisis in the town are some of the major demands of voters.
Knowing about the impact of the crisis in the farm sector, DMK candidate Gautham and DMDK nominee Sudhish have taken the problems of the farmers as the main campaign issue.
Mr. Gautham, a qualified medical practitioner and son of DMK strongman Ponmudi, has vowed to work for the comprehensive development of the constituency. He has assured voters to focus on agriculture and infrastructure development.
Mr. Sudhish had promised to develop a agriculture trade centre in Kallakurichi if voted to power.