GST, demonetization make battle tough for AIADMK-BJP in Tirupur Lok Sabha

Tirupur: The Tirupur parliament constituency has become the venue of a tough battle for the AIADMK and Communist Party of India (CPI), while political parties intensified their campaign, amid the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM) also expected to play a key role in this election in deciding the winning candidate from this hosiery hub.

The AIADMK hold the Tirupur constituency and refused to give it up for its ally BJP due to its strong presence in the region and considering winning records in past elections. The former Minister MSM Anandan is contesting from Tirupur. Meanwhile the DMK alliance has put up a strong candidate of its CPI ally, K Subbarayan an experienced and former MP, to contest from the industrial hub.

The AIADMK is mainly emphasizing on Narendra Modi as the PM candidate, to attract voters of Tirupur industrial sector and MSM Anandan is promising for better growth and development of knitwear sector.

However, the impact of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonitisation will play crucial role in deciding the victory of AIADMK. An industrialist, said, "while big players of knitwear manufacturing sector may cope with the negative fallout of GST and demonetization, the small and medium sector have been completely affected by the changes. Many small scale industries could not survive under the twin impact and majority of SMEs are still struggling to overcome the negative impact of GST and demonetisation. It will go against the AIADMK and BJP alliance. The Tirupur North and Tirupur South areas are tough for AIADMK."

However, he noted that AIADMK believes in its strong support base in other four Assembly segments in Tirupur parliament constituency. "The Assembly constituencies of Gobichettipalayam, Bhavani, Perundurai and Anthiyur continue to be the major areas, where AIADMK has a stronghold. They hope for getting votes from rural areas, where still names of MGR and Jayalalithaa have impact."

The CPI comes with severe criticism against Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during campaigns to reap the votes from Tirupur industrial hub. Commenting on the trend, K S Babuji, general secretary of South India collar Shirts and Inner wear Small scale Manufacturers, said, "though AIADMK alliance came up earlier and attracted voters, the DMK and CPI, CPI(M) alliance has also projected strong candidate and campaigning for getting votes by using the wave against Modi. Now it has become a tough battle for both the parties. The minority votes also will be a major support for DMK alliance to increase their wining prospects."

The Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM) candidate V S Chandrakumar and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) candidate S R Selvam will also be a key factor in deciding the trend in Tirupur constituency, said observers.

Suresh Kumar, a job work unit owner, said, “young voters might increase vote bank for MNM and it is expected to get some significant votes. Meanwhile, the AMMK has brought S R Selvam from Gobichettipalayam to attract the Nadar community votes, since the population of that community is high in the Gobichettipalayam, Perundurai, Anthiyur and Bhavani areas. If the votes are scattered among these parties, the fight between AIADMK and CPI will get even more tough.”