SALEM: A segment hardly known outside the region, Edappadi became famous a few years back, after it granted the State a Chief Minister. In the words of Edappadi K Palaniswami, after he assumed charge, Edappadi segment has attained the name of “Chief Minister’s constituency.”
In the last seven Assembly elections, since 1989, Palaniswami contested six times -- barring in 2001 -- and won four times. On the two occasions that he lost -- 1996 and 2001 -- it was to PMK candidates. In the last election, he defeated PMK candidate N Annadurai by a massive margin of over 42,000 votes.
This time, PMK is part of the AIADMK alliance. Plus, the State government just cleared the 10.5 per cent internal reservation for Vanniyars. Now, Palaniswami is locking horns with a youngster, 36-year-old DMK pick T Sambathkumar. Also in the fray is 53-year-old AMMK candidate Pookadai N Sekar. Palaniswami is hoping to win for a fifth time, and his party cadre are working hard to ensure the victory margin is massive -- at least one lakh votes.
THE PLACE
Edappadi is situated 55 km from Salem city. Agriculture is the main profession, apart from the sizeable population of weavers and palm workers. The constituency has significant population of Vanniyars, Scheduled Castes, Nadars and Chettiyars. Considering this, DMK has fielded a candidate from Vanniyar community. DMK has directly contested in Edappadi only on six occasions, winning just twice. Even in 1996, when DMK swept the State winning 221 seats, it lost Edappadi to a PMK candidate.
This was one reason why DMK used to allot the seat to its partners. This time, however, considering that AIADMK’s chief ministerial face is fighting from here, DMK has decided to field one of its own. But, the party surprised the observers and its own functionaries by fielding a new entrant instead of a seasoned candidate. When asked about this, Stalin said: “How can you say Sambathkumar is an ordinary person? He will surely defeat the Chief Minister.”
Recalling the 1996 election, when DMK’s new face EG Sugavanam defeated former CM J Jayalalithaa in Bargur, party functionaries echoed the confidence that the same will be repeated in Edappadi this time. After filing nomination, DMK candidate T Sambathkumar said that for the past 10 years, adequate employment was not created in Edappadi, resulting in youth and people from the constituency going to nearby districts as dailywage labourers for work.
Speaking to Express, Salem West District in-charge, and former Minister TM Selvaganapathy said that in the Edappadi Assembly constituency alone 10,000 educated youths are unemployed and submitted their resumes to DMK leader MK Stalin during the Makkal Grama Sabha meeting. “Our first priority is to provide jobs for these youths. Our late leader M Karunanidhi provided drinking water facilities for Edapapdi. We will provide uninterrupted water supply to the people of this constituency after DMK comes to power. At Konganapuram we will increase marketing facilities for farmers to sell their products,” he added.
Even after becoming Chief Minister in 2017, Edappadi K Palaniswami used to regularly visit his constituency at least once a month, where he attends government programmes and inaugurates or lays the foundation for projects. He brought a new polytechnic college at Nangavalli at a cost of `58 crore, new arts and college at Thangaiyur, new B Ed college at Ettikuttaimedu, SIDCO industrial estate at Konganapuam, model schools at Nangavalli, Edappadi and in Konganapuram, additional hospital buildings at Edappadi Government Hospital at a cost of Rs 4 crore and provided medical equipment worth Rs 4.5 crore, completed Mecheri-Nangavalli dedicated water scheme at a cost of `158 crore, new police station for Konganapuram, new bus stand at Edappadi, etc.
Apart from Poolampatti’s surroundings and areas situated near banks of the Cauvery river, the remaining areas in the Edappadi Assembly constituency were drought-hit areas. Considering this, Chief Minister brought Mettur-Sarabanga Lift Irrigation scheme at a cost of Rs 565 crore. Through these schemes, Mettur surplus water would to be diverted to lakes and ponds in this constituency.
After filing his nomination, the Chief Minister had said, “We have fulfilled all the requirements of the people in Edappadi constituency. If they have anymore, those will also be fulfilled.” DMK candidate T Sambathkumar said DMK will bring industrial estates, provide employment for educated youths
R Karthigamani, a housewife from Vellandivalasu, says, in the past 10 years, the government provided basic amenities including roads. Those who come to power should implement schemes that would develop the livelihood of women, she added. A trader, B Chandran, demanded that a route be created via Edappadi to reach Sathyamangalam and Mysore and it will be useful for the development of Edappadi.