Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Contest still wide open in Thondamuthur

K.V. Prasad

BJP may emerge a dark horse; DMK says its vote bank remains intact BJP may emerge a dark horse; DMK says its vote bank remains intact

COIMBATORE: With just a few days to go for the Assembly elections, the contest is still wide open in the key constituency of Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district where Congress Legislature Party leader S.R. Balasubramoniyan battles Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) treasurer M. Kannappan.

Queering the pitch for them is the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, M. Chinnaraj, former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLA of Mettupalayam (1984-89).

He belongs to the Kannada-speaking Vokkaliga Gowder community that has a sizeable presence in the west-north belt from Thondamuthur to Mettupalayam.

Mr. Chinnaraj is into brick kilns and agriculture in Thadagam. He is a household name in the entire Thondamuthur belt as his community members are spread over this area.

A cross-section of the voters - ranging from traders to farmers to workers say that the Vokkaliga Gowders may back Mr. Chinnaraj as they are a very closely knit group.

Another voter feedback, even cutting across party affiliations, is that Mr. Chinnaraj is an easily accessible person and had proved so while an MLA.

A group of middle-aged persons in Thondamuthur town, who are supporters of various parties, says he will split votes. People do not associate Mr. Chinnaraj with any party or symbol as he is seen more as `our man.' One of them even says he may spring a surprise by winning the seat because "40 per cent" of the 4,18,359 voters belong to his community.

The others preferring an alternative (to the two main alliances) may also vote for him.

A more conservative estimate says the community members are only around 30 per cent.

But, even if 20 per cent to 25 per cent of this section votes for him, it will split the other candidates' votes.

Even this need not happen, says M. Thangavel, a farmer who claims to be a relative of Mr. Chinnaraj. A staunch supporter of the DMK, he says the caste factor will not impact the Democratic Progressive Alliance.

Feedback such as this from various sections of the electorate say that the caste factor may eat only into the vote share of the MDMK as it is the alliance partner of the AIADMK.

They say that traditionally, the Vokkaliga Gowders had voted for the AIADMK.

This means that the vote bank of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is intact and therefore its ally, Congress, will stand to gain.

All these go to point out that caste and the consequent arithmetic that arise out of split votes may benefit Mr. Balasubramoniyan.

Farming community

A sizeable chunk of the farming community in Thondamuthur, Devarayampalayam, Veerapandi Pudur and Kovanur constitutes marginal and small, making a living out of rain-fed crops, mostly pulses.

"They are all in debt traps. Therefore, the DMK's promise of farm loan waiver will win their votes," says Mr. Thangavel.

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