KANNIYAKUMARI: The parliamentary constituency in the southern-most part of the country, Kanniyakumari, is set to see a four-cornered fight as Congress, BJP, AIADMK and NTK are set to lock horns with each other this Lok Sabha election, and the main contest will be between sitting MP Vijay Vasanth of Congress and former union minister and BJP candidate Pon Radhakrishnan.
Of the six assembly segments in the constituency, Congress holds Killiyoor, Colachel and Vilavancode (until its MLA S Vijayadharani joined BJP) and DMK holds Padmanabhapuram. Besides, Nagercoil and Kanniyakumari assembly constituencies are represented by BJP and AIADMK respectively. DMK also controls the Nagercoil municipal corporation.
After its creation in 2009, Kanniyakumari constituency has swayed both ways, as DMK clinched victory in the first election in 2009, followed by BJP in 2014 as business tycoon H Vasantha Kumar, the founder of Vasanth & Co, who contested on Congress ticket faced defeat at the hands of Pon Radhakrishnan. In the next election in 2019, Vasanth clinched the seat back from the same Ponnar.
After the sudden death of Vasantha Kumar, the constituency saw a by-election in 2021 that saw a fierce battle between Vijay Vasanth, the son of the deceased MP, and Pon Radhakrishnan. Ultimately, Vijay emerged victorious by defeating Ponnar by a a margin of 1,37,950 votes.
The region is considered a traditional stronghold of Congress, as veteran politician Kamaraj had successfully contested from the erstwhile Nagercoil constituency. But this time around, Kanniyakumari constituency is considered as the most promising seat of BJP since the saffron party has a strong base here. Adding to it is the recent campaign of Narendra Modi in the constituency as it has mobilised the cadre.
A native of Azhathankarai, BJP candidate Pon Radhakrishnan (72) had clinched victory in 1999 when the BJP was in alliance with DMK, and in 2014 when BJP, Congress, AIADMK, DMK and CPM had contested separately.
Pon Radhakrishnan had served as the union minister in AB Vajpayee and Narendra Modi governments. Ponnar, who will be facing his 10th Lok Sabha election, said he had brought projects worth `48,000 crore to the district.
The Congress candidate Vijay Vasanth (40), is facing the election for the second time after his success in 2021 by-election. A native of Agastheeswaram, Vijay, a foreign-educated MBA graduate, is a frequent visitor in the constituency.
The Congress cadre in the constituency are upbeat as Rahul Gandhi had kick-started his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanniyakumari. But some feel left alone as CM MK Stalin did not campaign here.
Besides the two national parties’ candidates, AIADMK and NTK are also in the fray. AIADMK candidate Pasilian Nazerath (68), business man from Kadiyapattinam and NTK candidate Maria Jennifer Clara Michael (42) from Kanniyakumari are from Roman Catholic (RC) fishermen community.
A native of Kanniyakumari, Maria Jennifer did BE Computer Science and MBA. She had worked abroad for a while before returning to Kanniyakumari.
As AIADMK and NTK could split the RC fishermen votes, Congress has given ticket to Tharakai Cuthpert, a woman from fishermen community, for Vilavancode assembly byelection with the hope that it would prevent the voyes of RC fishermen going to AIADMK or NTK.
But a fishermen association leader said fishers are happy that their community candidates are being fielded, and they are thinking of voting for AIADMK and NTK in the by-election.
South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF) general secretary Father Churchil said they are in need of helicopter, sea ambulance and radio phone to rescue fishermen when in danger. “Besides we demand the reconstruction of sea walls in the coastal villages and to extend the existing fishing harbour and central government relief fund to fishers,” he said.
Fishermen apart, the others in the region have also various demands to the new MP. For M Meenakshy, a young software professional, the government should invite big companies to set up office in the region as it would help prevent migration of people to bigger cities and for Kumari Mahasabha general secretary YR Johnson, a Navodaya school should be set up in the district and more jobs should be generated as the region has many engineering colleges.
A farmer, P Chenbagasekarapillai, urged the government to prevent agricultural land being rampantly converted into housing plots. He also demanded rubber-related industries as the rubber tapped from the trees in the district are going to other places.
A tribal leader, V Reghu Kani from Mothiramalai, said he expects the 2006 Forest Rights Act will be implemented completely for the tribals in the hills.
The constituency is different from other parts of the state as, according to political pundits, only religious equation works here. Of the 60% Nadar community voters, Christian Nadars and Hindu Nadars are equally represented.
Nearly 50% of voters are Hindus (Hindu Nadars, Vellalar, Nayars, SCs and others castes) and the remaining 50% are Christians (Christian Nadars, RC Christian fishers, Christian dalits) and Muslims.
Pon Radhakrishnan expects he could split the RC fishermen votes and if he wins, he could become a central minister, bringing development to the region.
AIADMK functionaries said their general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s campaign in Nagercoil has instilled confidence in the cadre.