THIRUCHULI: A few last minute defections from DMK to AIADMK may prove to be detrimental to the electoral prospects of sitting MLA and former DMK Minister, Thangam Thennarasu in Thiruchuli Assembly constituency, which is otherwise regarded as his pocket borough ever since his father, the late V. Thangapandi, pocketed the seat in 1989.
Among the prized politicians, DMK lost recently is S.M. Bose (69) from Chettikulam, who contested against MGR in 1977 at Aruppukkottai, from which Thiruchuli constituency in Virudhunagar district Anagai Murgesan was carved out in delimitation.
Bose, who joined AIADMK when party supremo J. Jayalalithaa visited Aruppukkottai campaign, said: “For the last 50 years, I having been visiting all the interior villages in and around Kariyapatti union, riding my bicycle, to strengthen the DMK base, but today I am asking the same people to vote for AIADMK.”
An Alagiri loyalist, he switched over because ‘there is no respect for seniors in DMK and has vowed to defeat Thennarasu. The Thiruchuli AIADMK candidate, K. Dinesh Babu, is an advocate. He is unfamiliar to many people.
Like Bose, a few other senior politicians like Thevar from Sithananthal village, Shanmugham from Manthiriodai and Athimulam from Veppamangalam village have shifted loyalties to AIADMK.
All of them have vowed to defeat Thennarasu. Each one of them is a self-styled local satrap, having command over at least 10 villages, said farmer K. Murugan, an AIADMK cadre from Papanatham village.
However, some senior AIADMK functionaries, on condition of anonymity said, “All the people here are aware that these leaders joined our party for personal gain and because they were denied posts in DMK. Only a few of their relatives will vote for us.” They added that around 2000 AIADMK cadre had also joined DMK from the constituency in the last few days.
But they agree that the going is tough for DMK as AIADMK local leaders have shed their differences to work for the victory of Dinesh Babu by working on the anti-incumbency wave against Thennarasu in some areas. They highlight the poor basic infrastructure in the constituency, where roads are battered, bus services to interior villages are lacking and supply of drinking water is always a problem. However, in many villages people feel sympathetic to Thennarasu stating he couldn’t do much because he was in opposition.
When Thennarasu was an Education Minister, he upgraded many schools and developed hospitals, constructed a marriage and community hall and erected bus stops in the constituency, said Karuppasamy from Mustakkurichi village pointing out to the government multi-facility hospital constructed during his tenure in their village.
The other factor working in favour of Thennarasu is his friendly approach with people, cutting across caste and religion. “He treats all community members with same respect and helps them in need,” said Sasikumar, a Dalit youth from Mukulam village.
He is also popular as a leader who shared people’s joys and sorrows by attending family functions or death ceremonies. He is also seen as a non-controversial person even by AIADMK functionaries.
