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Constituency Profile/ Tenkasi

Puthiya Tamilagam's Krishnasamy could spring a surprise

Ganesh Nadar

Tenkasi includes the assembly seats of Tenkasi, Ambasamudram, Alangulam, Vasudevanallur, Sankarankoil and Kadayanallur.

The TMC has two MLAs here, the AIADMK one, and the DMK's Law Minister Aladi Aruna is from Alangulam, while Kadayanallur has a Muslim MLA.

Tenkasi was won the last time by the AIADMK's Murugesan who is contesting his seat again, as is the Puthiya Tamilagam leader Dr Krishnasamy. The BJP candidate is Arumugam, a total non-entity.

Murugesan is a regular politician, being the joint secretary of his party's Tirunelveli district unit. Krishnasamy, of course, needs no introduction, at least ever since he took up the Manjolai Tea Estate wages issue.

In Alangulam, home of Aladi Aruna, it looks like Murugesan will win easily. Only AIADMK banners are everywhere, none other anywhere else. The DMK cadres are not working, and the BJP does not have any cadre here.

The Western Ghats look down benignly on Tenkasi. They are famous here because of the Courtallam waterfalls. A voter cribbed, "Arunachalam won here five times and didn't do a thing. We then voted for Murugesan, but he hasn't done anything either. It is our fate. What is the point of voting?" Another said, "I won't vote for Murugesan. If the DMK men do work, the BJP can win, not otherwise."

Looks like Krishnasamy's people are canvassing through word of mouth, since nowhere is his name, party colours or symbol visible. His caste will surely vote for him. And his violent disposition will make sure nobody else votes for him. The TMC will find it next to impossible to transfer their votes to him. But still, Tenkasi being a reserved constituency, there are enough SC votes to make him win.

In Tenkasi, buses coming in from neighbouring Sivakasi have abusive posters stuck on them, put up by Tamaraikkani's supporters.

Tamaraikkani was earlier in the news for giving DMK Minister Veerapandi Arumugam a bloody nose inside the state legislature. JJ approached the courts and got him out easily. The hero has turned against Jayalalitha now. All the posters abuse Jayalalitha viciously. Tamaraikkani, an MLA, is contesting as an independent from Sivakasi.

People here are fed up with elections. Jayalalitha's corruption is no longer an issue.

The people are desperately looking for somebody who will do something for them. They are bound to be disappointed.

Why the BJP accepted this seat, nobody knows. The fight is between Krishnasamy and Murugesan. Actually, between corruption and violence. Wonder what the people will choose.

And if Krishnasamy wins, only god can bless industrialist Nusli Wadia - who owns the Manjolai Tea Estate.

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