Athoor: “Please look at my old constituency and then decide.” This is the simple message for his voters from Natham R. Viswanathan, AIADMK minister, who has been shifted to Athoor constituency to take on DMK strongman I. Periasamy.
The popularity of 63-year-old Periasamy, who has won from Athoor four times, is evident from the posters and graffiti spread right across the constituency: A rising sun, DMK flag and IP’s name without the image of DMK chief M Karunanidhi or his son M K Stalin.
“We call him IP affectionately,” said Palaniamma (63), a Dalit elder from IP Nagar near Seelayampatti town. The 200 Dalit families have named their residential area as IP Nagar in honor of Periasamy for helping them to construct their houses.
Assigned the task of bringing IP down, Viswanathan (62) and his family members have rented a house at Sithayankottai in the constituency, 30 km away from his home at Vembarpatti town near Natham.
On an intensive campaign against Periasamy since early morning for the last 15 days, Viswanathan, a strong personality who won four consecutive times from Natham, is, however, finding it difficult to make inroads in the new terrain where Periasamy has entrenched himself. Viswanathan may even have shared his anguish with a close aide over his inability of win over the women of Athoor.
Though the government has issued free house pattas for families of IP Nagar, a private party filed a case in the court against it and it was IP himself who stood by the people in fighting the case and also in arranging bank loans, besides providing money from his own pocket for building houses, said Andisamy (38), a daily wage labourer. She said that he also personally supervised the construction work. “It was only because of his effort we are living here today,” said V. Santhi, whose main hall has a big picture of IP on the wall.
Periasamy’s simplicity, his easy accessibility, philanthropic nature and emotional connect with people have endeared him to the people of his constituency. “He came for the funeral of an elderly woman in our village when we told him that an agricultural worker Alazhagar had died in farmland but his body could not be brought into the village because of Pongal rituals. IP walked 3 kilometers to the graveyard in the hot sun,” recalled Rani (58) from Athoor village.
Apart from financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to the family, he assured Alazhagar’s 3 daughters help for their education. Even when he was revenue minister in the DMK regime, he was there for the people, said tea-shop owner Gopal (67) from Chinnalapatti town.
“IP maintained such a close relationship with people that if he heard sounds of people quarreling at their homes when he was travelling in his car, he would immediately stop to solve the issue,” said Utharakumar, a CPI(M) member from the town.
“When we visited his house seeking assistance to construct a church, he first gave us Rs 1,000 for lunch. When he returned, he gave Rs 50,000 as donation,” said a senior AIADMK functionary from Munnilaikottai village, adding that he attends all the family ceremonies of the people in the constituency.
Since people cutting across party lines admire Periasamy, the contest between him and Viswanathan has become the talk of the town in both Athoor and Natham constituencies.
“Viswanathan has improved the basic infrastructure including roads, drainage system, bus stops and drinking water facilities even in the interior villages in Natham constituency. He will definitely bring similar development to the people in Athoor if they elect him,” said Mani (60), from Natham town.
Though some even appreciated Viswanathan for participating in the marriage and funeral functions in Natham constituency, he may not enjoy the same popularity as Periasamy. “He only sends his relative Kannan to the ceremonies, that too only that at the homes of party functionaries,” said Karuppayya from Lingawadi village.
Acknowledging the same, senior AIADMK functionaries said the people were not happy with the performance of the minister because he neither took steps to open an Arts and Science College, a long pending demand of people, nor any industries. “But his relatives have opened a big college in Natham and also purchased many properties in the last 5 years,” claimed the people.
“I approached the minister’s relatives to help my children to get employment, but they refused,” claimed Pankajam (60) from T Vadugapatti near Natham.
The anti-incumbency backlash in Natham is seeping into Athoor and working in Periasamy’s favour. “My sister has informed me to bring all my family members to vote for IP to ensure his victory,” Poonuthai from the same village.
However, Viswanathan’s relatives are confident that he would win. People want the kind of development in Natham to come to Athoor, said Sumathi, a close relative of the minister who had campaigned for Viswanathan when she visited Athoor for a festival. “Now I am continuing my campaign through phone with my relatives,” she said adding that though Periasamy belongs to their community, people prefer Viswanathan.
