The Hindu : Farming main source of livelihood

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 16, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Farming main source of livelihood

By P. Sudhakar

In the absence of major industries, the perennial Tamirabarani, lifeline of Tirunelveli district, remains the source of farm employment. Except for two big factories, no major industry has come up in the district, which has three Lok Sabha constituencies.

Though farming moves to top gear whenever there is good rainfall in catchment areas, Sankarankoil and Radhapuram regions have to look for alternative sources such as deep borewells.

Identified as a "communally hyper-sensitive area", the district has a concentration of Nadars, Thevars, Dalits, Yadavs and Pillais. Melapalayam, Kadayanallur, Pettai, Ervadi and Puliyangudi have a sizable Muslim population, which, along with Christians, forms a good chunk of minority votes.

In the 2001 Assembly election, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) wrested eight of the 11 Assembly segments — Sankarankoil, Kadayanallur, Tenkasi, Alangulam, Cheranmahadevi, Ambasamudram, Tirunelveli and Nanguneri seats. The Vasudevanallur MLA, Eswaran, who won on Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) ticket, defected to the AIADMK.

In the 1999 Lok Sabha election, the former Assembly Speaker, P. H. Pandian, defeated the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate, Geetha Jeevan, daughter of the Tuticorin district secretary, N. Periasamy, by a margin of 26,494 votes.

In Tenkasi, a traditional Congress bastion, the AIADMK candidate, S. Murugesan, who

wrested the seat from the Congressman and former Union Minister, M. Arunachalam, in

the 1998 election, won by 887 votes, defeating the BJP candidate, S. Arumugam.

In the 1999 general election, major parties faced a stiff competition from Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) candidates in Tenkasi (K. Krishnasamy) and Tirunelveli (P.V. Bhakthavathchalam). While Dr. Krishnasamy secured 1,86,220 votes in Tenkasi, Mr. Bhakthavathchalam polled 1,12,941 votes in Tirunelveli.

The selection of the AIADMK candidate for Tirunelveli, R. Amirthaganesan, a little-known personality even in his hometown, Tuticorin, has created panic among the rank and file. The Congress, which is going to contest from Tirunelveli after the 1967 election, is yet to finalise its candidate, as many heavyweights are in the fray. The independent MLA of Radhapuram, M. Appavu, has also sought Congress ticket.

The Tenkasi constituency is all set to witness a triangular contest with M. Appadurai of the Communist Party of India, S. Murugesan of the AIADMK and K. Krishnasamy of the PT contesting. Since this is a familiar terrain for the PT chief, he is expected to give a tough fight to his rivals.

The Radhapuram, Nanguneri and Cheranmahadevi Assembly constituencies, part of the neighbouring Tiruchendur Lok Sabha constituency, are going to decide between T. Damodharan of the AIADMK and V. Radhika Selvi (DMK), widow of `Pannaiyar' Venkatesan, who was killed in a police encounter in Chennai.

Total number of Assembly segments: 11 (Sankarankoil, Vaasudevanallur, Kadayanallur, Tenkasi, Alangulam, Cheranmahadevi, Ambasamudram, Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai, Nanguneri and Radhapuram). Total electorate: 19,92, 930 (men — 9,70,098 and women — 10, 22, 832).

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