The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Unaddressed issues, a main grouse against MPs

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Thursday, Apr 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Unaddressed issues, a main grouse against MPs

By P.V.V. Murthi

The Vandavasi Lok Sabha constituency, comprising the Assembly segments of Vandavasi, Peranamallur, Tiruvannamalai, Polur (in Tiruvannamalai district), Gingee and Melmalayanur (both in Villupuram), is facing a prestigious fight between Gingee Ramachandran, former Union minister and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam deputy general secretary, and Rajalakshmi Rajan of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

In the last 10 general elections held in 37 years, the constituency was represented only by a candidate belonging to Vellore or Tiruvannamalai. Mr. Ramachandran is the first candidate from Gingee (in neighbouring Villupuram district). In fact, he is fulfilling a desire of the people of Gingee to have a candidate from their Assembly segment contest the Vandavasi Lok Sabha seat as a representative of either of the main fronts.

While the former AIADMK Minister, G. Viswanathan, a resident of Vellore represented the constituency as a DMK nominee in 1967 and 1971, Venugopal (AIADMK) of Tindivanam won the seat in 1977. The AIADMK is contesting the seat for the second time, after seven elections. While the late D. Pattuswamy (Congress) of Tiruvannamalai won the seat in 1980, the late L. Balaraman of Vellore was elected as a Congress nominee in 1984 and 1989. In 1991, the seat went to M. Krishnaswamy of the Congress.

Balaraman again won from here on the Tamil Maanila Congress ticket in 1996. In the mid-term elections in 1998 and 1999, M. Durai of the Pattali Makkal Katchi emerged victorious.

Both the AIADMK-led front and the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance have now fielded Vanniyars. The community constitutes about 30 per cent of the population in the constituency. The PMK is backing the MDMK in the DPA. Mr. Durai parting ways with the PMK is expected to see a split in the Vanniyar vote.

The electorate knows better Mr. Ramachandran, who contested successfully from neighbouring Tindivanam in the previous election, than Mrs. Rajan, president of the Polur town panchayat.

Her influence, according to the people, is confined to Polur except as the chairperson of the Tiruvannamalai District Town Panchayat Presidents Forum.

Dalit vote

P. Punniyakoti of the People's Alliance (Makkal Tamil Desam-Dalit Panthers of India-Puthiya Tamizhagam combine) is also in the fray, hoping to cash in on Dalit votes. Dalits account for about 25 per cent of the population.

The absence of industries and the consequent lack of employment opportunities, drinking water scarcity, a languishing mat industry (in view of recurring drought) and the absence of train facilities and of good roads are the main problems.

The people have a grouse that none of the MPs addressed the issues except the laying of roads under the Prime Minister's Grama Sadak Yojana (Rural Roads Scheme), that too recently.

Farmers unhappy

The "scrapping'' of free electricity is one of the factors which has caused dissatisfaction among farmers with the AIADMK Government.

Money orders towards payment of power bill have not been of use to most farmers, as these are sent in the name of their deceased parents, in whose names electricity connections were obtained.

As name transfers have not been expedited, the farmers are unable to avail themselves of the reimbursement.

One of the sensitive issues is the Archaeological Survey of India's move to take over maintenance of the Arunachaleswara temple much against the wishes of the people at Tiruvannamalai, especially traders.

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