TN Bypolls: 4 Constituencies, 3-Way Fight – What’s at Stake?
Tamil Nadu goes to bypolls in 4 constituencies on 19 May. Here’s what’s at stake, and who the players are.
Elections in Tamil Nadu have always been a single phase affair. This year, the Assembly elections, and the bypolls to 18 (out of 22) constituencies were held on the same day, in Phase 2, on 18 April. The remaining four constituencies will go to polls on 19 May. Here are the names. Full marks if you can pronounce them in one go –Thiruparankundram, Sulur, Aravakurichi and Ottapidaram.
The battle is between three parties: DMK, AIADMK and AMMK. Read on for some dope on the contestants and the issues plaguing the constituencies.
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Why Are These Bypolls Vital?
The bypolls for 18 constituencies are being held due to the disqualification of the 18 MLAs for shifting loyalties from the AIADMK to TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK. Owing to the disqualification of two more AIADMK MLAs, and the deaths of two more sitting MLAs, the bypolls were necessitated in 22 constituencies.
For the incumbent AIADMK, four seats are all that stand between a continued stint at being the government and the looming threat of fresh state Assembly elections. The DMK has the herculean task of winning 21 out of 22 seats for a majority. They have their hopes pegged on their Aravakurichi candidate, among others.
If the DMK wins 21 seats, it could well mean the end of the AIADMK’s days in power. With no clear ‘leader’ figure after the demise of Jayalalithaa, the party might well be looking at further splits within the ranks if that happens.
Thiruparankundram (Madurai)
Thiruparankundram is one among the ‘six homes’ of Lord Muruga (Shiva’s son), who is considered the God of the Tamils. It’s a religious tourism destination, and home to a little over 50,000 people. It’s the largest of the four constituencies that will go to polls.
It has been an AIADMK bastion since 2001. With the death of the sitting MLA S Seenivel in 2016, the seat is open for contest between S Muniyandi (AIADMK), P Saravanan (DMK) and I Mahendran (AMMK). As will be the case with the remaining constituencies, the AMMK candidate was formerly an AIADMK candidate.
Sulur (Coimbatore)
Sulur is probably most famous for being the home town of Rajinikanth’s son-in-law Vishagan Vanangamudi. It’s an urban constituency, part of the Coimbatore district. A bypoll was necessitated due to the death of the sitting AIADMK MLA S Kanakaraj, who died this year.
Former AIADMK MP K Sukumar is AMMK’s candidate. Pongalur N Palanisami, who was formerly the minister for rural industries and husbandry, is the DMK’s candidate. The AIADMK is fielding VP Kandasamy, yet another little known member of the party.
Aravakurichi (Karur)
In Aravakurichi, the contest is more or less in favour of the DMK candidate Senthil Balaji. Senthil was formerly with the AIADMK. He then defected to TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK. Barely a few months ago, he shifted loyalties yet again to the DMK, who had already announced his name as one of their candidates before news of his shift was out. As the most well known politician in the Karur region, Senthil is also considered to be the reason for AIADMK’s win in the district in 2014.
The AMMK has fielded PH Shahul Hameed, a political heavyweight who might well influence the large percentage of Muslim votes in the area. The AIADMK’s candidate is Senthil Nathan, who is yet to score his first major political victory.
Ottapidaram (Tuticorin)
As the smallest among the four, and one of the smallest constituencies in Tamil Nadu, Ottapidaram is home to around 10,000 people. It was the hometown of VO Chidambaram Pillai, the industrialist/freedom fighter who built TN’s first shipping vessel to compete against the British.
R Sundararajan, one of the 18 disqualified MLAs, is AMMK’s bet for the seat. The AIADMK has fielded P Mohan, while the DMK’s candidate is Shanmugaiah.
Despite its relatively small size, Ottapidaram is, in a sense, representative of the Tuticorin district. Tuticorin has been the hotbed of the Sterlite copper plant protest, which has been one of the major issues this election season. A win in this constituency will not only translate as a much valued seat, but will also be a major political brownie point.
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