Chennai: Though, caste is a major factor in elections in the state, it is more so in the local body elections since influence of candidates play a major role in people’s choice.
The influence of caste factor could be less in the urban areas, especially in corporations, but it becomes more dominant in rural areas cutting across all the regions of the state.
The number of independents winning from rural areas too is more than towns and cities. Besides, parties with caste images, the main stream parties could also opt for partymen with good support from one of the dominant castes in the area.
In the north, the PMK which finished in the third position behind the two Dravidian parties, is hoping to make an impact in the civic polls too. Though, it secured a vote share of 5.3 per cent, most of its support is concentrated in the Vanniyar belt.
However, influential candidates from the same community fielded by the AIADMK and DMK could pose problems for the PMK to retain its vote base, besides winning sufficient number of wards to stay relevant in the indirect elections to the top posts.
However, Dalit outfits in north Tamil Nadu had not met with success in the local body elections as they tend to support on party lines than caste preferences. Besides, Dalit candidates are fielded mostly in seats reserved for them and the caste angle is neutralised.
In the western region too, the main stream parties which field nominees as per the caste graph, have usually dented the chances of caste organisations.
So, KMDK, a Kongu Velalar outfit, is trying to join the DMK front, but their admission into the fold had not been confirmed yet.
The Puthiya Thamizhagam, in south Tamil Nadu, is already a part of the DMK front. But, Thevars concentrated in most of the southern districts play a decisive role in the local bodies, especially in the rural bodies.
Though independents with caste clout could manage to emerge successful, the major Dravidian parties have powerful community leaders among their ranks to win the wards.
