The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Odds against arch-rivals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Odds against arch-rivals

By A.V. Ragunathan

The Cuddalore parliamentary constituency, which carries a `sensitive seat' tag, is witnessing a keen battle between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's K.Venkatapathy and the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's Sorathur Rajendran. It will be based on the acts of commission and omission of their parties, in the backdrop of caste-oriented politics.

While the DMK is striving to retain the seat, the AIADMK is going all out to wrest it. In 1999, Adi Shankar won by a margin of over 73,000 votes (he polled 3,58,367 votes), defeating M.C. Damodaran of the AIADMK (2,84,414 votes) and pushing P.R.S.Venkatesan of the Tamil Maanila Congress to the third place (65,467 votes).

But this time round, the DMK has to overcome many hurdles. Mr Venkatapathy is not too familiar with the cadres or the electorate.

He is a Naidu candidate in the predominantly Vanniyar belt; he has to reckon with the Rajnikant factor. Above all, Dalits do not see eye to eye with the Pattali Makkal Katchi, a constituent of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance.

The DPA campaign is in bits and pieces, with leaders of the constituents having their own election schedule that seems to lack coherence and coordination. While the PMK leaders are campaigning in one part of the constituency, the Communists and DMK leaders are electioneering elsewhere, singing the same song in different tunes.

However, Mr Venkatapathy exudes confidence that he has the backing of many parties whose cadres will form a majority.. But the DMK has to take cognisance of the fact that the Congress, which won the seat at least six times since 1971, does not enjoy the same strength and clout now.

In the Nellikuppam and Panruti Assembly segments, the DMK will have to put in extra efforts to match the spadework done by the former AIADMK Minister, M.C. Sampath, and Mr Rajendran. Both of them are nursing the constituency assiduously and they have even taken a vow to make Mr Rajendran win the seat with the highest margin in Tamil Nadu.

Mr Sampath has, in fact, announced prizes to the cadres in whose division the voting is impressive.

The AIADMK had a head start in electioneering and the general secretary, Jayalalithaa, already completed her rounds in the constituency. And it is now left to the leaders and cadre to wrap it up. However, it is not all hunky- dory for the AIADMK as its ally, BJP, has only a minuscule presence in the constituency.With the minorities and aggrieved government servants and their families throwing their lot with the DPA, the AIADMK will have a tough time weaning them away from the rival camp. Even the Rajnikant factor has not started working its favour.

Among an electorate of 12,06,594, Vanniyars constitute 35 per cent and Dalits about 33 per cent. Though there is an undercurrent of tension, with sporadic eruption of caste clashes, the situation is under control.

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