T.N. polls, Constituency Watch | Karur to witness battle of heavyweights

The Karur constituency is poised for a high-octane battle of heavyweights, with Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar of the AIADMK and former Transport Minister V. Senthil Balaji of the DMK crossing swords.

Amid mutual accusations over the use of cash energy, the constituency is witnessing fierce and hectic electioneering.

Mr. Balaji returned to his house turf with the purpose of taking Mr. Vijayabhaskar, his long-time political rival, head-on. He gained from the constituency because the AIADMK nominee in 2006 and 2011. But in 2016, he was shifted to Aravakurichi by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who additionally stripped him of the district secretary’s put up. He was disqualified as a legislator for rebelling in opposition to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and switching loyalties to the AMMK. He later joined the DMK and gained the byelection in Aravakurichi in 2019.

According to an industrialist, there was a scarcity of staff in Karur because the announcement of the election, as a piece of male staff had been lured by the events. It is a month-long competition for the employees as they get flooded with “money, liquor and biryani”.

Drinking water shortage is a serious election problem right here. Though the Amaravathi runs by way of the city and the Cauvery is shut by, residents have been affected by water scarcity as provide is proscribed to as soon as each 5 days.

Environmentalists are up in arms over the discharge of untreated effluents by dyeing items into the Noyyal and Amaravathi. The tussle between the AIADMK and the DMK over the development of a brand new bus stand, a long-pending demand of the residents, is one other main problem.

The city, a serious house textile manufacturing and export hub, got here to a standstill with the mobilisation of hundreds by the DMK and the AIADMK on Monday, when Mr. Balaji and Mr. Vijayabhaskar filed nominations.

Though the MNM, the NTK and the DMDK have fielded their candidates, the actual combat is between Mr. Balaji and Mr. Vijayabhaskar. Both of them are leaving no stone unturned to win the arrogance of the voters.

The constituency has a sizeable inhabitants of the influential Kongu Vellala Gounders, moreover Mudaliars, Pillais, Vanniars, Chettiars and Dalits. Both Mr. Balaji and Mr. Vijayabhaskar are Kongu Vellala Gounders, and consider the election as a ‘do or die’ battle.

Expecting a fierce combat from Mr. Balaji, Mr. Vijayabhaskar launched an image-boosting drive by planting lots of of roadside timber throughout the city a number of months in the past. The MRV belief, which is called after him, has been sustaining the timber effectively. Mr. Vijayabhaskar has garnered the belief of a piece of the citizens by “attending and sponsoring” social, cultural and neighborhood features. A piece of entrepreneurs who personal textile and bus physique constructing items feels that the Minister has acted as a bridge in fixing grievances.

It was throughout his tenure as a Minister that the Government Medical College was arrange. Using his proximity to the Chief Minister, Mr. Vijayabhaskar has fulfilled most of his guarantees to the citizens, get together functionaries declare.

Banking on his familiarity with the citizens, Mr. Balaji has been going door-to-door to search voters’ help. His tendency to change political affiliations regularly and his sudden rise within the get together ranks has triggered discontent amongst a piece of DMK cadre.

Karur is a citadel of the AIADMK. Of the polls held right here since 1977, the get together gained seven, the DMK three, and the Congress one. Mr. Vijayabhaskar gained the 2016 election by a slim margin of 441 votes. But given the modified political equations and the excessive stakes concerned, the constituency seems headed for a photograph end.