COIMBATORE: As election fever grips the state, industries in Coimbatore district now stare at a looming threat, a massive shortage in manpower in the coming days.
The overlapping election timeline in the states of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam has prompted many migrant workers from the two states, currently employed in various sectors in the district, to return to their native towns.
In Coimbatore, the impact is significant as a large number of people from Assam are employed in the tea estates of Valparai and areca nut (betel nut) processing and production units in the Thondamuthur constituency. Many are planning to take at least one month leave, citing that they need to cast their votes at their native place and spend time with their families.
“Most are taking around a month of leave to travel, cast votes and meet their family. I did not take any extra leave since December 2025 as I planned for a long leave during the election. As the election is in the summer, we can also spend some time with our families and friends,” said Abhijith, an Assam native labourer working at the Thonimudi estate in Valparai.
“We get Rs 450 per day and are offered free quarters. Compared to Assam, this is a better salary. We settled in Valparai six years ago. We will use this election leave to meet our family and friends,” he said.
Another Assam native, Soham Bera (27), employed at Anali Estate in Villoni, Valparai, said that around 20 families from their estate quarters are leaving for Assam this week ahead of the assembly election.
“The workforce in Valparai has been declining in the last few years due to various reasons, including wage and production issues. Currently, there are around 3,000 migrants working in Valparai, and most of them are from Assam. The election leave will result in a significant decline in tea production. However, other labourers from Jharkhand and other states will help keep the situation under control,” said CPI(M) Valparai unit secretary P Paramasivam.
BJP functionary CA Sunil also echoed the same.Similarly, Thondamuthur, a major hub for areca nut processing in Coimbatore with approximately 30 units, has over 4,000 Assam natives working and residing there. KM Manivasagam, an operator of a unit, told TNIE that already half of the Assam-based workers have returned to their native places and the remaining are applying for leave for the election.
“We mostly depend on their manpower. We will have to close the units until they return, as we cannot operate units without manpower,” he said.
In Coimbatore city, a large number of workers from West Bengal are involved in gold jewellery manufacturing at smithery units. They are also returning to their native places to cast votes as assembly polls are also set to be held in West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29.
P Chandran, general secretary of Coimbatore Thanganagai Thozhilalar Union (CITU), said goldsmithery units, which already face multiple issues owing to rising prices, are preparing now to face a manpower crunch this month as most of their labourers from West Bengal return to their native.
“The hike affects small-scale smithery units, while the remaining businesses get affected by the election code of conduct, which curtails money transactions. Now, expert workers in designing and carving are returning to their native places. Almost 50% of West Bengal workers have gone back, and the others will leave the city by this week,” he added.