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TIRUCHENDUR
DMK, trying its luck, has fielded V Radhika Selvi, a 28-year-old mother whose husband, Venkatesa Pannaiyar, was killed in what the party said was an 'encounter kiling'.
Tiruchendur, a coastal constituency and famous for its temples, one of the seven abodes of Lord Muruga, has been a Congress fortress right from 1957.
Former Union minister, late TT Krishnamachari was elected unopposed from this constituency in 1962. Another former Union Minister and Congress veteran, KT Kosalram, had won from here in 1977 and also in the 1980 polls.
Another former union minister and Congress leader, Dhanushkodi Adhithan had represented this constituency, winning in the 1989, 1991 and 1996 polls.
In the 1998 polls, Adhithan lost to former Tamil film hero and AIADMK candidate, R Ramarajan, then a new entrant to the political arena. He was an ardent supporter of the late Chief Minister and AIADMK founder leader, MG Ramachandran.
Dhanushkodi Adithan is fighting the May 10 Lok Sabha polls from neighbouring Tirunelveli constituency as the Congress candidate.
The DMK had captured this seat for the first time in 1971 and again in the 1999 polls.
The uniqueness of this constituency is that its six assembly segments fall in the three districts of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari.
There are about 10.70 lakh voters belonging to the Nadar community, who constitute the major vote bank in this constituency. Women outnumber men by nearly 40,000. Scheduled Caste people form nearly 15 per cent, Muslims seven per cent and fishermen four per cent.
The DMK, trying its luck for the third time now from this constituency, has fielded V Radhika Selvi, a 28-year-old mother whose husband, Venkatesa Pannaiyar, was killed in an encounter with police in Chennai in September 2003. Many political parties, including DMK, the main opposition party in the state, demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing, charging that the encounter was "pre-planned".
The death of Venkatesa Pannaiyar has brought Radhika Selvi to the political arena. The DMK is trying to ride on the 'sympathy wave' generated by his death. Born in Chennai, Radhika Selvi is an English literature graduate. Incidentally, she is the youngest of all DMK contestants in the May 10 polls to the Lok Sabha.
The ruling AIADMK has fielded a new face, T Damodharan, after denying a ticket to former Lok Sabha and assembly speaker, PH Pandiyan. The denial of ticket to Pandiyan, who hails from Chermadevi, one of the six assembly segments, has upset AIADMK workers.
A PTI correspondent, who visited at least three of the six assembly constituencies -- Chermadevi, Nanguneri and Tiruchendur, was told by a cross section of people that there is an 'anti Jayalalithaa' wave working here, as many, including Government servants, are sour over her action against Government employees, who struck work last year.
In Cheranmadevi proper, though Pandiyan himself has not yet started canvassing, his son Manoj Pandiyan, has gone all out to ensure maximum votes for the AIADMK.
In Tiruchendur proper, people are angry over issues like electricity bill and non-availability of articles under Public Distribution System. The traders in general are affected by the power tariff hike.
