The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Old warhorses fighting it out in a DMK fort

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 30, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Old warhorses fighting it out in a DMK fort

By G. Srinivasan

While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is sitting pretty in Thanjavur, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIAMDK) is trying to wrest the Lok Sabha seat. Both have fielded old warhorses: S.S.Palani Manickam, DMK member of the 13th Lok Sabha, and K. Thangamuthu, former MLA and former AIADMK district secretary. Both the candidates belong to the Kallar community, which is in a majority in the constituency.

In a strategy of whipping up sympathy, Mr. Thangamuthu, who contested unsuccessfully in 1980 and in 1999, has made his defeat itself an issue and is appealing to people to support him as he is contesting for the third time "with the blessings of `Puratchi Thalaivi.' "Give me a chance. I will improve the constituency," he says in his campaign. He also lists the drought relief measures the AIADMK Government has taken to alleviate the sufferings of farmers and farm labourers.

Mr. Palani Manickam, on the other hand, pins his hopes on the formidable alliance (Democratic Progressive Alliance) and his party's strength in the district. Thanjavur has been a DMK fort and even when the party did badly in other parts of the State in the last Assembly elections, unable to match the strong alliance of the AIADMK, its candidate won here.

The Congress is also strong in Thanjavur, being the home district of Moopanars and Vandayars. The Communists and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have a sizable following in the constituency. The Dravidar Kazhagam, which has a strong presence in the district, has extended support to the DMK.

In his campaign, Mr. Palani Manickam explains his role in getting the Thanjavur-Kumbakonam broad gauge rail line, his speeches in Parliament during the debate on the Prevention of Terrorism Act, efforts to get Tamil declared a classical language and his role as chairman of the Parliamentary committee on agriculture.

Both the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, and the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, have finished their campaign. She charged Mr. Karunanidhi with having bungled the Cauvery issue. But he noted that he had spent his lifetime to try and solve the problem.

Following the campaign by the two leaders, electioneering has reached its peak. Film star Rajnikant's fans have extended support to the AIADMK. Satyanarayana, president of the Rajnikant Fans Association, visited Thanjavur and pledged the fans' support to the AIADMK candidate.

Voters in the constituency, a majority of them farmers and farm labourers, are reeling under drought for the third consecutive year. They are looking for a solution to the water issue but the candidates are blaming each other for the problem remaining unsolved.

There are 13 candidates in the constituency comprising the Assembly segments of Thanjavur, Thiruvonam, Orathanadu, Papanasam, Valangaiman and Tiruvaiyaru. . The total number of electorate: 10,30,779 (men 5,04,188 and women 5,26,591).

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