Tiruchy may be a turning moment for MDMK

The former chief minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi would often remark in party gatherings, “Thiruppumunai tharum Tiruchy” (Tiruchy leads to a turning point). Who is the question that has been plaguing MPs in the Rockfort constituency this time?

Durai Vaiko, the son of MDMK (DMK alliance) head Vaiko, and AIADMK candidate P Karuppaiah, who is the brother of Karikalan, who is being investigated by the ED for possible illegal sand mining, are engaged in a heated struggle in Tiruchy.

The sitting Member of Parliament Su Thirunavukkarasar lost the Congress ticket despite being a prominent leader. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were in desperate need of basic goods and services, our sitting member of parliament failed to visit the area. We would have immediately toppled the Congressman if he had been put forth here once again, said Githish (real name withdrawn), a DMK supporter from Marsingpet in Tiruchy.

This represents the constituency’s degree of anti-incumbency sentiment among voters. Thus, the DMK coalition gave the MDMK the seat, and the party has put forward Durai Vaiko (51), the son of party chairman Vaiko, a newcomer to electoral politics, to run on an independent Match Box symbol.

“This is a much better choice because of the public’s perception of his father, Durai Vaiko,” Githish said.

This does not imply that the INDIA alliance will win Tiruchy with ease, however. It is evident from his acts that he is inexperienced. For example, at an alliance functionaries’ conference attended by hundreds of DMK officials and three ministers (K N Nehru, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, and S Regupathy), some of them pushed Durai to run on the DMK’s Rising Sun emblem in order to win easily.

The rookie expressed his annoyance by becoming red in the face and punching the bench. Subsequently, a furious Durai announced he would only run for office on a new symbol, even at the risk of losing his life. It took the ministers and other officials many days to resolve the situation with the alliance partner since they were clearly upset.

Karuppaiah had continued with his endeavors in the meantime. He has the enthusiastic support of a dynamic staff and the steadfast backing of former health minister C Vijayabaskar. P Senthilnathan (47), who resigned as a Tiruchy municipal councillor to run for the MP seat, has been fielded by AMMK in the BJP alliance. He won’t, however, be able to get many votes since the party isn’t very strong in this area.

A significant portion of the electorate in the seat is made up of people from the Kallar, Mutharaiyar, Vellalar, and Devandrakula Vellalar groups. Karuppaiah is a native of Pudukkottai and a member of the powerful Kallar group, however Durai Vaiko does not mention his caste.

The AIADMK candidate has been working hard to gain the confidence of Muslims and Christians by vowing to defend secular ideals, even though it is evident that he has the upper hand in his group. Their ally, SDPI, is supporting them throughout this process.

The main advantage of Durai Vaiko, however, is that the DMK coalition has the backing of the minority populations. The formidable DMK ministerial team is on the field to guarantee Durai’s triumph. His main issue is getting his “match box” emblem more widely recognized.

Durai Vaiko, the son of MDMK chairman Vaiko, is engaged in a hard race in Tiruchy against AIADMK candidate P Karuppaiah. Karuppiah’s local connections and cadre base provide Durai Vaiko with a formidable fight.
With a staggering 4.60 lakh votes, Su Thirunavukkarasar won the 2019 election, giving the party one of its biggest margins ever in India. However, the MP was unable to take full advantage of this since constituents voiced their displeasure at his absence. Besides, he hasn’t had a good connection with the local DMK leaders.

An unnamed DMK official said, “Durai Vaiko will win despite the shortcomings, including the new symbol, which may decrease our vote share.” Votes will be cast for several state-funded development projects in Tiruchy, including a market complex, sports stadium, bus terminal, and transportation hub.

Thousands of working-class people reside in the constituency since it is home to several public sector companies, such as BHEL, OFT, and HAPP, as well as the well-known Ponmalai railway workshop. The DMK and Left party labor unions are also active. Airport runway development that can handle wide body aircrafts is in demand in order to improve connections from across the globe and boost regional tourism.

Another big demand from the voters is an intercity express train from Tiruchy to Bengaluru, since many workers and businesspeople commute to this metropolis.

Additionally, there has always been a need for rail service between Thanjavur and Pudukkottai. Kannan, a Pudukkottai native, said, “This connectivity would be a huge relief to the workers who travel to and fro every day.” He went on to say that building plants to process flowers and cashews will boost the regional economy.