VELLORE: As Durai Murugan is moving towards sustaining his winning streak in Katpadi Assembly constituency, his rival V Ramu of AIADMK hopes to pull the rug out from under the DMK veteran through a ‘silent revolution’ to script a new chapter. The 83-year-old DMK general secretary has contested nine times in Katpadi since 1971, when he made his debut in electoral politics, and won seven times, apart from winning twice from Ranipet segment. In his first election, Durai Murugan polled 37,487 votes, and in the last in 2016, he secured 90,534 votes.
During the previous elections, he had been saying that it was his last polls and he would not contest again. However, now he has entered the fray with a renewed energy hoping that his party would come back to power. He claims he has done yeomen service to the constituency by bringing in several developmental projects and government-run educational institutions and government establishments.
“I have done a lot for improving the livelihood of the people of Katpadi constituency. Ensuring potable water supply for all habitations is a big achievement. Earlier, it was supplied from Palar river, then I ensured that Katpadi was covered under Hogenakkal combined water supply scheme,” he says. Construction of 13 bridges, a sugar mill, a government law college and Thiruvalluvar University were established. “The creation of Katpadi Taluk is also among the achievements I have made in the constituency,” he points out.
However, the people of the constituency have a grudge against his inability to facilitate construction of a new rail overbridge at Katpadi junction. Apart from that, the plea for another overbridge across Palar river to connect Katpadi to Sathuvachari is also pending for long. The congestion on Katpadi road from the railway junction to the Green Circle also afflicts the people of the constituency. Ramu (48) of AIADMK is taking on Durai Murugan, who is adept at playing tricks from up the sleeves during elections. He shows indomitable spirit in fighting till the end even though he is fully aware of the strength and resources of the opponent.
According to Ramu, “I don’t consider him unsurpassable. I have been approaching people by highlighting their plight. I question his performance in the last five years.” He feels there is a ‘silent revolution’ palpable among the voters and it will help him impregnate the insurmountable fortress of Durai Murugan. “There is a silent revolution in Katpadi. People are discontent with his performance,” he notes. However, personal popularity and caste arithmetic are in favour of Durai Murugan.