The mood among the cadre of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) here is upbeat as they will be contesting from Vellore for the third time in a row. But, a section of the cadre of their alliance partner DMK is upset over the decision of its high command to hand over the Vellore constituency to the IUML once again. The DMK unit had high hopes that this time the high command would decide to field a Muslim candidate from the DMK, without deciding to share the seat with the alliance partners.
In the 2009 elections, the IUML candidate Abdul Rahman had contested under the DMK symbol from here, this time the party for the first time would be contesting using its own symbol, ‘ladder’.
“We have many eligible Muslim candidates from the DMK who could have been fielded,” said a party senior leader, who expressed displeasure at IUML being given the Vellore
seat yet another time. “But, as sincere workers we will obey the decision of the party high command,” he added. The ‘heartburn’ would be temporary among the cadre and functionaries as they will take to electioneering when the party leaders appeal to the cadre to bury the differences, he further said.
The key communities that have been playing major role for the victory of candidates in Vellore are Mudaliars, Muslims, Vanniyars and the SCs. Notably, either a Mudaliar or a Muslim candidate has been getting elected from the Vellore constituency at least in elections held ten times in the past.
DMK candidates won from here in the years 1967, 1971 and 1996 but the IUML candidates with DMK as an alliance partner have won four times from this constituency. Since the IUML had won two times consecutively from Vellore in 2004 and 2009, the local DMK was sure that this time it would be the turn of DMK to field its candidate. Hectic preparatory work was also underway in this regard in the recent weeks. Sources claimed that senior functionary Mohammed Saqui and Kadir Anand, son of former Minister Durai Murgan, and two more candidates had expressed their desire to contest from Vellore. But IUML had managed to clinch the deal.
“In fact we wanted to contest from southern districts this time and we were prepared for either Tirunelveli or Tiruchy,” said an IUML leader adding “but the DMK leadership wanted us to contest from Vellore once again.” He also pointed out that so far, the IUML had no recognition, except in Kerala, and had to contest on the symbol of the alliance party all along but this time, but now it would contest using its own symbol. “People are not worried about the symbol but they are looking at the candidates and parties behind them,” he said adding, “We will ensure support from the local DMK and face the battle with confidence.”
To a question if MP Rahman would be fielded once again, he said, “This will be decided by the State steering committee of the party, slated to meet on March 8.” The two MPs of the party had already initiated a lot of developmental activities, which would be continued if they are elected again, the IUML leader added.