E-Paper
POLLACHI
Pollachi constituency is expected to virtually witness a straight fight between AIADMK and MDMK in the coming general elections.
With agriculture, particularly coconut farming, being the lifeline, the reserved Pollachi constituency is expected to virtually witness a straight fight between AIADMK and MDMK in the coming general elections.
The economy of the constituency, with a little below 11 lakh electorate, with male and female in equal numbers, is mainly dependent on coconut/agriculture, textile and plantations, spread over six constituencies of Pollachi, Kinathukadvau, Udumalpet, Valparai, Pongalur and Dharapuram.
The undivided DMK (before late M G Ramachandran split and formed AIADMK) had been winning the seat since 1967, returning Udumalai Narayan for two terms till 1971. DMK retained the seat in 1972 in the by-elections caused due to the death of Narayan.
However, newly formed AIADMK wrested the seat in 1977, after being declared as a reserved constituency, but only to lose to DMK in 1980 by a narrow margin of 15,000 votes.
AIADMK won three times in a row in 1984, 1989 and 1991, but lost to Tamil Maanila Congress, formed by G K Moopanar, after splitting away from Congress in 1996.
Though AIADMK wrested the seat in 1998, it lost to MDMK,by a narrow margin of 10,000 votes in 1999, sending Dr C Krishnan to the Lok Sabha. MDMK has fielded Krishnan this time also, while AIADMK is nominated a political novice in G Murugan, who is termed as an 'outsider'.
The recent whirwind visits of AIADMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa and MDMK general secretary, Vaiko had set the stage for the crucial battle in the constituency.
The serious drought, which had shaken the economy of the constituency, for the last four to five years, would play a key role in deciding the fortune of the aspirants.
With main business of coconut and its sub products, the region has no other major source of business and the loss of over three to 3.50 lakh coconut trees, due to drought and mite problem, was likely to have a fallout in the polls.
The constituency could be considered as a AIADMK bastion, if one goes by the voting pattern of the past general and assembly polls. But the combined might of the Democratic Progressive Alliance, comprising DMK, Congress, PMK, MDMK and Left parties, could boost the strength of the MDMK, helping it to give strong fight to AIADMK.
Barring Valparai assembly segment, where Congress has an MLA, all the other five segments are in the bag of AIADMK.
However, the contesting parties were finding it difficult to convince the electorate; rather, the seem not to be able to read the pulse of the electorate.
