CHENNAI: Once prominent for being the largest Assembly constituency in the State, accommodating a whopping 9.41 lakh electors in 2006, Villivakkam now is just another segment, except for the upcoming eco park near Padi flyover.
The delimitation exercise carried out in 2011 shrunk the constituency with the creation of Kolathur, Maduravoyal, and Ambattur constituencies. In this election, as many as 2,54,992 voters (women outnumbering men by nearly 5,000 votes) are expected to cast their vote. Among the 23 contestants who are in the electoral fray, the fight would mostly be concentrated between the candidates of the two Dravidian giants.
While the AIADMK has fielded its seasoned politician, JCD Prabhakar, the DMK has pitted A Vetriazhagan, also a businessman. Interestingly, Prabhakar, the AIADMK heavyweight has won against Vetriazhagan’s grandfather K Anbazhagan in 2011 with a margin of 8.24 per cent votes from the same constituency. Excited for a face-off with his grandfather’s opponent, Vetriazhagan said, “I think it is a marvellous opportunity. All candidates are harvesting the grand effort of ‘Thalapathy Annan’ (DMK chief MK Stalin). That kind of force is going to eradicate the opponents in a big way.”
JCD Prabhakar (68), a loyalist of former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, had contested from Villivakkam in 1980, 1984, and 1989. However, he won in 1980 against his DMK rival with a thin margin of 703 votes. In 1984, Prabhakar lost to CPI (M) candidate VP Chinthan by around 1,000 votes. In 1989, Prabhakar supported AIADMK (Janaki) faction and lost badly to CPI (M) candidate WR Varadarajan, who had won by over 50,000 votes against the runner from AIADMK (Jayalalithaa) faction. After the debacle. Prabhakar returned to contest from the constituency only in 2011 to win against K Anbazhagan. Prabhakar said he would be winning in a big way. Others who are running the contest include Makkal Needhi Maiam’s 30-year-old businessman Sriharan Thanabalan, DMDK’s D Subamangalam (42), and 14 independent candidates.
Issues in the constituency
One of the primary issues here is water-logging during floods. The issue gets worse in localities such as Sidco Nagar, Lakshmipuram, Annai Sathya Nagar, Amman Kuttai, and Balarampuram, where people from lower and middle-income groups live. Sandwiched between Kolathur in the north, Thirumangalam in the south, Korattur in the west, and Aynavaram in the east, the constituency accommodates a diverse population, including people working in the nearby ICF, and factories in Ambattur Industrial Estate. Traffic congestion on Konnur High Road running across the constituency connecting Padi with Aynavaram; Red Hills Road connecting Villivakkam and Kolathur constituencies is another major issue.
Suresh Kumar, a resident, wanted the road-over-bridge near Villivakkam railway station to be completed at the earliest. Residents also wanted the damaged stairs of the Perumal Temple tank to be rebuilt and ensure regular supply of non-salty water. While many residents complained that the sitting MLA B Ranganathan never frequented the constituency in the last five years, a resident of North Jagannath Nagar Venkata Subbaiah complained about the lack of street lights and added that poor garbage disposal is a menace.
DMK sources said that Ranganathan has been active and it became evident during the lockdown period. He has been spending money from MLA funds for various initiatives, including infrastructural up-gradation for schools, relaying of roads, and restoration of pathways surrounding lakes. Ranganathan is one among the 13 sitting legislators in the party who were denied tickets this time. DMK sources said that the 70-year-old man was denied ticket due to his age factor and to give opportunity to young contestants.