CHENNAI: Two factors have always helped the image of the otherwise nondescript Kolathur rise beyond its regional confines. One, its ornamental fish industry, which makes it the Mecca for fish lovers. Two, its elected representative – DMK president MK Stalin, who will be seeking mandate from the same constituency for a third time. With around 2.82 lakh voters, mostly from middle and lower-middle income groups, Kolathur may very well be sending the next Chief Minister to the Assembly.
Since 1984, Stalin has been contesting from Thousand Lights. He moved to Kolathur in 2011, after the segment was carved out of Purasawalkam and Villivakkam Assembly segments. That year he won by a thin margin, defeating AIADMK heavyweight Saidai Sa Duraisamy. By 2016, his margin had increased significantly, against ruling party’s JCD Prabhakar. This time, the DMK president will be taking on an old rival, senior AIADMK hand Aadhi Rajaram.
Old rival versus new Stalin
Rajaram put up a tough fight against Stalin in 2006 in Thousands lights, and lost by a mere 2,468 votes. An advocate and staunch loyalist of AIADMK founder MGR and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Rajaram is confident of defeating Stalin this time, by a self-proclaimed margin of at least 10,000 votes. But, Stalin is now the DMK president, with a towering image. Not just that, Rajaram is a new face in Kolathur. Electors are hardly aware of the credentials of this West Mambalam resident, whose party works were largely confined to southern and central parts of the city.
Other opponents of the duo include AMMK’s 54-year-old businessman J Arumugam and Makkal Needhi Maiam’s A Jagadish Kumar (31), a real estate businessman. Though criticised for rarely visiting the constituency, Stalin has been credited for playing a pivotal role in the reconstruction of a government community hall near Thiru Vi Ka Nagar bus terminus. DMK sources said that party MLA PK Sekar Babu has been instrumental in implementing the initiatives Stalin wants to implement in the segment.
Speaking to Express, scores of auto drivers, who claimed to have received monetary support during lockdown, credited Stalin for the help “despite being in the opposition.” DMK sources in the locality pointed out his initiatives, including restoration of a temple pond, setting up of Anitha Achievers’ Academy in 2019 to help young women get vocational training, and personally distributing essentials during the lockdown. Suresh (name changed), a sports enthusiast who claimed to be an AMMK supporter, lauded Stalin for setting up an indoor sports court and a ladies’ gym in TVK residential quarters.
Untapped potential
The ornamental fish market, regarded as a hub alongside Kolkata’s Dasnagar, seems to have been completely neglected by policymakers and politicians over the years. “Neither the government nor Stalin ever visited or helped us,” said a seller on condition of anonymity. Kolathur has around 125 shops that are into selling ornamental fish, related accessories, and exporting them across the country. A majority of them are also into fish breeding. Though the market is providing a livelihood for around 5,000 people, industry insiders said that it is an organic growth without any hand-holding. All India Aquarists Welfare Association President B Selvaraj said that government intervention may help the industry grow manifold and drastically transform the local economy.
Issues facing the segment
Demand for removal of encroachments and widening of crowded Paper Mills Road, a 6-km stretch passing through the constituency connecting Retteri Junction and Perambur Railway Station, has been lying unaddressed. S Venugopal, a resident and lawyer, said that Kolathur residents are forced to use the narrow Red Hills Road, connecting Villivakkam Bus Stand and Kolathur Main Road, due to the uncompleted road-overbridge near level-crossing (LC1) of Villivakkam Railway Station.
The constituency has three bus terminuses (in Periyar Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar) and consists of more than 1,000 streets in six wards. Sandwiched between Villivakkam, Madhavaram, Perambur, and Ambattur, the segment also needs public transport facilities to ensure smooth commute in the neighbourhood, the residents say.
On the front of health infrastructure, residents like Gopal Babu said that there is a need to develop Government Peripheral Hospital, unveiled by former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, in Periyar Nagar on par with major government hospitals in the city.
A section of residents also emphasised the need for proper utilisation of the government’s empty lands here. While poor drainage facilities is one of the other issues bothering the electors, the shrinking of Kolathur lake, situated near Retteri Junction, was a major cause for concern for a large number of residents who Express spoke to.