SIVAGANGA: If you want to witness the fight between two national parties, look no further. This election season, the BJP and the Congress are back to square one in Karaikudi, where they will battle it out for the crown in the presence of AMMK. “It would be a neck-to-neck fight between INC and BJP in the Assembly election, but AMMK would play an important role in splitting the votes,” said the residents.
AIADMK ally BJP has named H Raja as its candidate, while DMK ally Congress has filed a fresh face, S Mangudi. H Raja was elected once, back in 2001, as an MLA, from the very same constituency. Mangudi, though a fresh face, has already served as Shankarapuram town panchayat president. Mangudi was a familiar face for being associated with P Chidambaram, Sivaganga MP Karti P Chidambaram and incumbent Karaikudi MLA KR Ramasamy.
Ramasamy’s son was given a ticket to contest from RM Karumanickam at Thiruvadanai constituency in Ramanathapuram district. This would have an added advantage for Mangudi as there would be no internal dispute. The entire situation has created roadblocks for H Raja who has to secure votes as well as retain the AIADMK votes that are being chipped away by AMMK candidate Pandi due to his familiarity and community base. Pandi was the Sivaganga MP candidate for AMMK in the 2019 election and secured 1.22 lakh votes, which is one fourth percentage of Karti Chidambaram’s vote and half of H Raja vote. A considerable number of votes that Pandi received during the parliamentary election was from Karaikudi Assembly constituency.
“The longtime demand of the residents starts with making the Karaikudi (special grade) municipality as a Corporation by merging Sankarapuram town panchayat with it,” said Samy Thiravidamani (73), the president of Karaikudi Chamber of Commerce and Industries.“The demand for Chettinad snacks from tourists and other countries is huge. The snacks have been exported for more than 20 years but there is no common ground to market these products,” he said.
Produces students but lacks employment
A retired college professor S Saravanan (62) said that the constituency has various educational institutions such as Alagappa University, Alagappa Chettiar Government College of Engineering and Technology, CSIR - Central Electro Chemical Research Institute, but the district has no law or agriculture colleges. “The locality has been producing bright graduates but has failed to provide them with employment,” he said. The working population of the locality also suffered, and the need to bring SIPCOT to Karaikudi is urgent now, more than ever. “The only way to save the working population of the district was by bringing industries and creating employment,” he added.
Candidates speak
BJP candidate H Raja (63) said, “Before 1984, there were 12 textile mills in the locality but none of them are functioning now. I would ensure that SIPCOT would function here, which would create employment for the people. The water scarcity issue would also be settled soon as I have already spoken with the Jal Shakti Ministry.”
INC candidate S Mangudi (58) said, “I would ensure the establishment of food grains godowns and deep-wells for farmers.” The renovations of water paths and water bodies in the constituency is also his priority. A nursing college, an arts and science college for women and a law college would started.”