COIMBATORE: In a surprise move, the DMK has decided to deploy former minister and Karur legislator V Senthil Balaji to contest from the Coimbatore South constituency.
For Balaji, who is the party’s election in-charge for the western region, the task is clear-cut: breach the AIADMK’s fort.
For long, DMK didn’t have a strong man to steer the party in Coimbatore, whereas rivals AIADMK and the BJP counted on SP Velumani and Vanathi Sreenivasan, respectively.
Ex-minister Velumani, who is the Thondamuthur MLA, is the AIADMK’s face in Coimbatore. Similarly, Vanathi, who is the incumbent MLA from Coimbatore South, is seen as the BJP’s representative from the western districts.
However, DMK lacks a strong face to manage party affairs in the district. By fielding Balaji, the DMK aims to rebuild the party structure in the district and project him as the face of the party in the western region.
The shifting of Balaji to Coimbatore has surprised many. As the candidate list suggests, DMK has given an opportunity to fresh faces by dropping many who lost in the previous election. Some party leaders who tried to contest from Coimbatore were not given the opportunity.
Even the choice of Coimbatore South is a calculated risk taken by the party. The constituency has a considerable number of minority votes in Ramanathapuram, Puliyakulam, parts of Ukkadam, Selvapuram, Kempatti Colony, Gandhipuram, Race Course, railway station, and other parts of Coimbatore city.
Electioneering in Coimbatore is not new for Balaji. During the 2022 urban local body election, Balaji had stunned many by making sure that DMK won 96 out of the 100 seats in Coimbatore Corporation. Even though he was in prison during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, his team worked with senior DMK leaders and ensured the party won both Coimbatore and Pollachi Lok Sabha constituencies.
Only on Saturday, AIADMK secretary and former minister SP Velumani exuded confidence that the party will win all constituencies in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Nilgiris. The move has even shocked AIADMK functionaries and cadres. However, AIADMK candidate for Coimbatore South Amman Arjun expressed confidence he can defeat Balaji by a margin of 50,000 votes.
“The state election commission has to closely monitor Senthil Balaji, as there is a high chance that he may try to attract the voters by providing gifts and cash since the DMK has not done anything for the welfare of the people of Coimbatore district,” said an AIADMK functionary.
