TIRUNELVELI: It's 5.30 early in the morning. The house of Nanguneri AIADMK candidate Narayanan in Perumalpuram is flooded with his supporters and relatives. Buoyed by the campaign of Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, Narayanan is hopeful of an easy win in his constituency. When TNIE met him early in the morning, he was getting ready for the second day of campaign with his party coordinator O Panneerselvam.
Here are the excerpts of an interview he gave to TNIE:
* What do you think of AIADMK's victory chances in Nanguneri by-election?
Wherever we go, we are given a warm welcome by the people of this constituency. The way Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami responded to the opposition leaders during his campaign has increased AIADMK's winning chances. I will surely win the by-election with a margin of at least 50,000 votes.
*You had promised voters that you will bring industries to Nanguneri Special Economical Zone (SEZ) if you win. With just 1.5 years left for your tenure as MLA to end, how will you bring industries which your party failed to do for the past eight years?
I will try my best to bring industries to the SEZ. Since Chief Minister and his cabinet ministers have directly assessed every nook and corner of the constituency, Nanguneri voters will be getting many other benefits including good roads and drinking water, apart from SEZ.
*Responding to your 'outsider' remark against Congress candidate Ruby Manoharan, DMK President Stalin said that late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had also contested outside her own constituency. Stalin further said that the resignation of your late leader as MLA of Kangayam constituency necessitated an unnecessary by-election in 1991.
Bigwigs like Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi and Stalin can contest from any constituency or more than one constituency in the State as they are the party leaders accepted by the people across Tamil Nadu. But neither Manoharan nor H Vasanthakumar is like them. The duo is contesting the election just to get recognition as MLA and for business reasons. People of this constituency finally had a son of the soil as their MLA in 2001 general election. Nanguneri is not a tourist spot for the rich outsiders who aim at settling in distant Chennai after getting elected. Vasanthakumar who was Nanguneri MLA twice had not done anything for the people.
*As per your affidavit, your wife has assets worth more than `1 crore. How could she earn that much, as she is working as a sub inspector of police?
I am from a poor family and my father used to climb palm trees till 1995 to run our family. My wife is an honest police officer. The value of the lands that my wife owns was very low at the time of registration. The value has increased now.
*Do you support the demand of Ayya Vaikundar followers for a separate religious status to Ayya Vazhi?
No. Vaikundar himself had said that Ayya Vazhi is common for all and that it's aimed at connecting the people from different religions.
*Opposition leaders say that you have a criminal background. What is your response to them?
I had four cases against me in Perumalpuram police station, but all were false cases, registered during the DMK regime. I properly fought all of them and got myself acquitted. The opposition leaders should keep in mind that 2G case against MK Kanimozhi and A Raja is still pending in the Supreme Court.
*Will AIADMK distribute cash in exchange of vote?
Money is not the only factor that decides the victory of a candidate. The welfare schemes that the AIADMK government has introduced will earn me success. Congress started distributing Rs 1000 to each voter in Nanguneri.