PERAMBALUR: Serious poll-time heat is being felt across the Perambalur parliamentary constituency which is facing a three-cornered contest between DMK’s Arun Nehru (40), son of Minister K N Nehru, AIADMK’s N D Chandramohan (51) and BJP alliance’s T R Paarivendhar (82).
Though named Perambalur constituency, a lion’s share of the region falls under Tiruchy district. The constituency consists of the Perambalur Assembly segment, Lalgudi, Manachanallur, Thuraiyur and Musiri segments of Tiruchy district and Kulithalai segment of Karur.
The constituency is also home to two DMK strongmen, Minister K N Nehru, the party’s principal secretary, and Deputy General Secretary A Raja. The party has fielded the former’s son, Arun Nehru to take on IJK leader Paarivendhar — who had successfully contested under the DMK’s Rising Sun symbol in the 2019 polls — and AIADMK candidate Chandramohan, a close relative of former Minister N Selvaraj.
Who are facing off?
In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, T R Paarivendhar finished third by securing 2,38,887 votes, whereas AIADMK’s R P Marutharajaa won with 4,62,693 votes, with DMK’s Seemanur Prabu being the runner-up with 2,49,645 votes. However, in 2019, Paarivendhar contested under DMK’s Rising Sun and emerged victorious with a whopping 6,83,697 votes, with a winning margin of about 4 lakh votes. His opponent AIADMK’s N R Sivapathi was able to secure only 2,80,179 votes.
Drawing confidence from the massive 2019 win, MP Paarivendhar is once again contesting from Perambalur. However, this time, he will go up against Arun Nehru, a young politician who is backed by K N Nehru, a distinguished cadre who has drawn praise from the likes of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and the Chief Minister M K Stalin for his extensive field work.
The minister has firmly anchored the DMK alliance in the region by capturing all nine Assembly segments in Tiruchy district and all top local body positions (both urban and rural). The alliance holds the positions of district panchayat chief, all 14 union panchayat heads and top posts of all five municipalities and also the mayorship of Tiruchy city corporation.
Sources said as per a schedule prepared by his father, Arun Nehru begins his campaign at 6.30 am every morning and concludes by 10 pm, taking small food breaks in between.
82-year-old Paarivendhar has also been intensively campaigning by visiting numerous villages every day along with his team. The veteran holds the advantage of being from the Udayar caste that makes up a significant share of votes in the constituency. In the past five years, the founder chairman of the SRM Group of Institutions has also provided free higher education for about 300 students from various parts of the constituency.
AIADMK candidate Chandramohan, belonging to the Mutharaiyar caste, is also gearing up for the big showd0wn. The late N Selvaraj, his uncle, had had much political influence in the region. A major setback for AIADMK in Perambalur this time is the former district secretary R T Ramachandran being in the OPS camp.
Apart from the three, NTK has fielded R Thenmozhi (30) from Thiruvaiyaru to contest from the constituency.
Lay of the land
Onion cultivation is widespread in Perambalur. Consequently, the region’s farmers have demanded the setting up of onion storage and processing units. Proper storage could control price fluctuations and ensure steady sales throughout the year, they added. Moreover, the Korai (straw) mat makers from Musiri, home to several other cottage industries, have called for their products to be exported. Similarly, the residents of Kulithalai have demanded more agri-related industries be set up in the region. Turning Pachamalai in Thuraiyur into a tourist spot and the establishment of a hospital in Perambalur, are also among the long-standing demands from the region.
Notably, the local population has been facing severe water shortage on the regular. Numerous protests took place at various locations in the constituency demanding proper water supply.
