VELLORE: Anxiety is palpable in the camps of both Dravidian majors as voters head to polling booths in Vellore Lok Sabha constituency on Monday. With a photo finish expected on the counting day, the ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK are leaving no stones unturned to garner each vote. The actual election scheduled to be held in April along with other constituencies in the State was rescinded by Election Commission of India (ECI) following huge cash haul from men allegedly associated with DMK leaders. However, this time around, the Income Tax sleuths had not set about searches but for one occasion, despite keeping an eagle’s eye on the movement of cash and valuables within the limits of the constituency.
AIADMK’s AC Shanmugam (Puthiya Neethi Katchi founder) has been making a spirited bid to reenter the Lok Sabha from Vellore where he had won the polls way back in 1984 while Kathir Anand, son of DMK treasurer Durai Murugan, is hoping to make his debut in the Lower House of the Parliament by riding on the spring board of his father.
Several issues, including protection of Palar River, water woes of the people and farmers, infrastructure facilities and NEET and Salem-Chennai eight lane express way, became hot topics during electioneering.
However, all eyes are on the minorities, particularly Muslim voters whom the DMK has pinned its hopes. So is the AIADMK, whose leaders sense a change of mood from what prevailed in April.
In a constituency with about 14.32 lakh voters, Muslims, Dalits and Vanniyars dominate the scene with the potential to swing the outcome while Mudaliyars and other communities constitute sizable population.
Since 1951, Congress has won 6 elections, followed by DMK 5 times, AIADMK and PMK two each. The Indian Union Muslim League had contested on DMK poll symbol many times in Vellore.
“The people believe that I can deliver goods to them because they have already been benefiting from my social welfare activities. Now, their expectation has become bigger, so naturally they prefer me,” says Shanmugam.
He hopes to win the polls with a huge margin. At the same time, Kathir Anand says, “I am eagerly waiting for the day (counting day) on which the Rising Sun will emerge victorious. It will put an end to the woes of the people of Vellore who suffered without any developmental projects in the last five years.”