SALEM: DMK will mount a challenge for the fifth time in Salem South, having been unsuccessful in all its earlier attempts to wrest the constituency from the AIADMK.
Ever since MG Ramachandran formed the ADMK, in 1972, Salem south has been its bastion. From 1952 till 2016, Congress won four times (1952, 1957, 1962 and 1991). DMK won four times (1967, 1971, 1989 and 1996). AIADMK seven times (1977, 1980, 1984, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016). The party won the seat for the fourth consecutive time in 2016.
Salem I was renamed as Salem South during the delimitation exercise in 2008. It comprises 23 wards (37 to 60) of Salem City Municipal Corporation (SCMC). Important localities, including Gugai, Linemedu, Dadagapatti, Kondalampatti and Seelanaickenpatti, Ammapet, which is famous for its silk dhotis, Kitchipalayam, Kalarampatti, fall under this constituency.
There are 2.59 lakh voters in Salem south. Mudaliyars, Devanga Chettiars, Vanniyars and Pillais are the predominant communities here, and candidates invariably are from Devanga Chettiars or Mudaliyars or Pillais. This time AIADMK has fielded E Balasubramanian, who belongs to Devanga Chettiar community. He served as ward councillor in 2011-16. DMK fielded AS Saravanan, also from the Devanga Chettiar community. Both the candidates are new faces.
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), meanwhile, announced Se Venkatachalam, from Vellala Gounder community, as candidate. A familiar face in the constituency, he was elected MLA in 2001 and served as Annathanapatti panchayat president in 1986. He served as councillor in SCMC in 1996-01.
Lack of motorable roads is the main issue staring at the face of contestants. Residents of Ammapet, Kitchipalayam, Patchapatti and Pattai Kovil are the worst affected as the construction of underground drainage (UGD) channel is underway for over two months. Further, traffic logjam is common in Gugai, Javulikadi bus stop, Dadagapatti and Seelanaickenpatti.
DMK functionaries hope to woo voters citing these issues. "For the past five years people have suffered without proper roads The SCMC started laying roads only recently with an eye on elections. The AIADMK government did not pay attention to developing infrastructure despite being in power for ten years. We will take remind people of these and will defeat AIADMK," they added.
Countering this, AIADMK functionaries pointed out that the government built a new building for Salem south taluk office, built a higher secondary school at Maniyanoor and a multi-level parking lot in the old bus stand under Smart City project. "Construction of a multi speciality hospital at the cost of `27 crore is underway at Ammapet. Similar development works are going on in Salem South. We are confident of retaining the seat for the fifth time," they added.