Aravakurichi by-election: Where two Senthils lock horns

KARUR: Aravakurichi is getting heated up further with two powerful bypoll candidates – VV Senthilnathan of the AIADMK and V Senthil Balaji of the DMK – on the campaign trail.While Balaji, who began canvassing 10 days ago, has covered almost half of the assembly constituency, Senthilnathan started his campaign on Tuesday with a request to voters to defeat Balaji, who he believed was behind his defeat in the 2011 assembly election. In his speeches, Balaji is mostly relying on the DMK’s manifesto and his promise of 3-cent land for 25,000 homeless families. And Senthilnathan and Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar spend more time on criticising Balaji.

“In 2011 I contested from the same constituency at the age of 28. Then Senthil Balaji colluded with the DMK and defeated me and the DMK’s KC Palanisamy won. Despite that, when Senthil Balaji contested the poll in 2016 (on the AIADMK ticket), we all worked for his victory. But he used the contributions of the AIADMK workers only for his betterment,” Senthilnathan said in a speech. “Every year, Senthil Balaji switches parties.

In 2016, he was with the AIADMK, in 2018, he was with the AMMK, and now he is in the DMK. The people of Aravakkurichi should boycott him. He has lost the people’s trust. I have suffered a lot because of Senthil Balaji. He has made a lot of mistakes. Now the people have to give their judgment.” For his part, Vijayabhaskar said it was former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s soul that had sent Senthilnathan again to Aravakurichi to defeat Senthil Balaji.

Balaji’s 3-cent land promises for the homeless was the talk of the town in the constituency. However, minister Vijayabhaskar dismissed the promise as impracticable. “Where will he find that much land? This assurance will be like DMK leader Karunanidhi’s promise of giving 2-acre land to landless farmers. Karunanidhi failed to fulfil that promise. Neither will Senthil Balaji fulfil his promise.” 

While canvassing votes, Senthilnathan touched the feet of female voters. And Balaji’s pillar of support when it comes to canvassing women’s votes is S Jothimani, the Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha election in Karur. Balaji had campaigned extensively for her for the April 18 election.