PUDUKKOTTAI: The son of a tailor in Thirumayam now works in a private firm in Chennai after completing a degree in engineering from a college in Pudukkottai. A few years ago, he had tried to secure a job at the BHEL unit nearby, the only major industrial presence in the constituency, but did not make the cut.
“After studying so much, there was nothing here for him,” says S Sathyamoorthy (49), standing outside his small shop in Thirumayam town.
The story of Sathyamoorthy’s son reflects a wider pattern across the Thirumayam Assembly constituency, where access to education has improved but local employment opportunities remain scarce. For many families, the options are limited: migrate for work, depend on agriculture, or take up irregular daily-wage jobs.
The BHEL Power Plant Piping Unit, established in 2008, continues to be the only significant industrial presence in the region. While it once employed a sizeable workforce, residents say nearly 750 workers have since been transferred to Tiruchy, and local hiring has remained minimal.
“There was a lot of hope when BHEL set up shop here. But even now, there are no MSMEs around it and no visible growth in residential or commercial activity. And with apprentice pay being so low, many locals are not interested,” says M Ilankumar (36).
Beyond this, there has been little industrial expansion. Traditional livelihoods such as cotton weaving have declined over the years, further shrinking employment options.
In several villages, young women who complete school or college often remain at home, as families are hesitant to send them to distant cities for work. With limited opportunities, many either take up agricultural labour or marry early.
Transport constraints add to these challenges. Residents say bus services are reliable only between 7 am and 7 pm, after which connectivity drops sharply, especially in interior villages. Many buses take the highway bypass instead of entering Thirumayam town.
“Inside Thirumayam, buses are available only during the day. At night, most of them don’t even enter the town,” says S Sikandar, a resident.
Agriculture continues to sustain a large section of the population, but it is increasingly uncertain. Farmers cite erratic rainfall and falling groundwater levels as key concerns, with some switching to eucalyptus and other less-thirsty crops.
However, activists and farmers allege that large-scale plantations by the state-run Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited (TAFCORN) have worsened water stress by affecting groundwater recharge and natural water flow.
G S Dhanapathy, state general secretary of the Bharat Krishak Samaj, says the issue has been raised repeatedly. “Farmers have been protesting for years. These plantations have affected water bodies and agriculture, and corrective steps are needed. Even setting up a paper-producing unit here will fetch jobs for the locals,” he says.
Against this backdrop, the DMK has fielded minister S Regupathy, who is seeking a third consecutive term. He won the previous two elections by narrow margins of 766 votes in 2016 and 1,382 votes in 2021, making this a closely-watched contest. Regupathy tells TNIE, “We have tried at every level to create local jobs, but there has been little response from investors,” he says.
The AIADMK has fielded P K Vairamuthu, who has lost twice to Regupathy and is making another attempt. “Despite being a minister Regupathy has failed to bring jobs to the region,” he tells TNIE.
The DMK is relying on Regupathy’s local accessibility and organisational strength, along with support from sections of the Mutharaiyar community, following the entry of Tamilar Desam Katchi led by K K Selvakumar. Party insiders say the DMK is targeting a lead of over 40,000 votes.
Other candidates in the fray include C Cinthamai, on behalf of the TVK, and Lakshmi Srinivasan from the NTK.