Ten years after its creation, following a delimitation, the politically nondescript Thoothukudi Lok Sabha constituency achieved a high-profile status in 2019 when DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi entered the fray against BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.
Events such as protests against the Sterlite Copper plant and the police firing that killed 13 protestors, changed the constituency’s profile.
A coastal belt with a number of industries, the constituency is well-known for its fishing and manufacturing units, and the V.O. Chidambaranar Port. With boundaries falling under four districts before delimitation, Thoothukudi, formerly Tiruchendur constituency, comprises six Assembly segments – Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Srivaikuntam, Ottapidaram, Vilathikulam and Kovilpatti. DMK candidates won here in 2009 and 2019, and an AIADMK candidate in 2014.
In 2009, DMK’s S.R. Jeyadurai defeated AIADMK’s Cynthia Pandian by a margin of 76,000 votes. In 2014, J. Jayasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee of the AIADMK emerged victorious, defeating DMK’s P. Jegan by a margin of 1.24 lakh votes.
Ms. Kanimozhi, who had earlier represented the DMK in the Rajya Sabha, entered the fray from here in 2019. Her status as the daughter of DMK leader M. Karunanidhi; the anti-Sterlite sentiments; and the police firing at protestors worked in her favour, resulting in her victory. Now Ms. Soundararajan’s decision to opt for the Chennai South constituency has left Thoothukudi with not-so prominent names, apart from Ms. Kanimozhi, and the split in the BJP-AIADMK alliance has reduced the intensity of the campaign.
Sivasami Velumani of the AIADMK, S.D.R. Vijayaseelan of the TMC (Moopanar) and J. Rowena Ruth Jane of the NTK are in the fray.
Ms. Kanimozhi has an advantage over her rivals. Four out of the six Assembly constituencies here are represented by the DMK; one by the Congress, an ally of the DMK; and one by the AIADMK. Two Ministers – Anitha R. Radhakrishnan and P. Geetha Jeevan – represent Assembly segments in this constituency. Hindus account for 72% of the population in this constituency, Christians 21% and Muslims 7%. The predominant caste is Nadars, followed by a considerable proportion of Devendra Kula Vellalars, Devars, and Naickers, among others.
Ms. Kanimozhi is appreciated by a cross-section of voters for her relief works during the flood that ravaged the district in December last year. The DMK’s consistent campaign against the BJP government at the Centre over its alleged failure to allot adequate relief appears to be paying off. “Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to the flood-affected areas raised the hope for relief. However, people remain upset with the Centre’s indifference towards our problems,” S. Saravanaperumal, a farmers’ association leader, said.
Though the State government and the ruling party could not fully take credit for the relief work, their presence on the ground earned them a good name among the people.While industries and other sectors that provide jobs are concentrated only in Thoothukudi city, places such as Ottapidaram taluk, Udangudi, and northern part of the district, particularly Vilathikulam, have not seen any development, a CPI(M) member in Thoothukudi district said. “It is a rain-fed region and farming activities take place only when there is rain. People are unemployed for the remaining months,” he added.
Farmers raise concerns as their agricultural lands had been filled by sand, following the heavy rain-induced inundation last year. Though the State government had promised to remove the sand, no efforts have been made so far, they contended.
“In the past, MPs would hardly participate in local events, Ms. Kanimozhi’s work here has been satisfactory,” says Gnanasekaran, a resident.
Mr. Sivasami Velumani is hopeful of a victory. “We have proposed important projects such as strengthening of Tamirabharani banks,” he said. According to him, the electorate may be wary about the outcome of the appeal by the CBI against the acquittal of Ms Kanimozhi in the 2G case. Mr. Vijayaseelan said that though the DMK claimed that they carried out relief works well despite not receiving funds from the Centre, the reality on the ground was different.
“Some of our promises like widening of Uppar Odai and regularisation of contract workers at NTPL thermal power station will definitely ensure us a victory,” he believed.
