ocated in the core Cauvery delta region, the Mannargudi constituency has always been a Communist stronghold prompting even the great social reformer E.V. Ramasamy Naicker to quip that “If it rains in Moscow, then comrades will pull out umbrellas in Mannargudi”. Though the situation has changed with a decline in the Left support base over the decades, the Communists are still a force to reckon with in the region.
They draw their strength from the thousands of agricultural labourers and farmers whose livelihood depend on the Cauvery’s fortunes. The swathes of green fields and mounds of paddy stocked in the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation's temporary godowns are a common sight as one moves through the Mannargudi constituency that extends up to Nidamangalam on the Thanjavur-Tiruvarur Highway.
Industrialisation has not visited the region as is evident from the TNCSC godowns that store millions of tonnes of paddy procured from farmers in the open in an unscientific manner. Successive governments have not bothered to think of storing the paddy in a better manner while the region’s farmers have not thought of going in for an alternative crop to paddy wherever possible. Paddy has been the mono crop for more than 2,000 years in the region — that is the plus and minus of the region.
However, some development on the Railways services have come Mannargudi’s way courtesy the former Union Minister T.R. Baalu while he is pilloried for bringing the notorious coal-bed methane project that has the potential to devastate the whole delta.
Now there is an increased awareness among farmers on the danger of methane and shale gas exploration than ever before but that could act against the DMK that is fielding Mr. Baalu’s son and MLA T.R.B. Raaja again in Mannargudi.
Although he was coasting along comfortably, the entry of S. Kamaraj as the AIADMK candidate has put the brakes on his stride. “Mr. Kamaraj is accessible, reaches out to even those across the political spectrum and has a good image in the constituency. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s Kuruvai package, power supply and welfare schemes might help him,” say L. Mathialagan and R. Panneerselvam of Kaarakottai.
Caste could play a crucial factor in deciding the winner as the two come from equally strong yet different sub-castes in the region. Also, there is still some support for the former AIADMK Minister Alagu Thirunavukkarasu who in his last yeas switched over to the DMK.
Its a touch and go situation where the fortunes of the DMK and the AIADMK hanging in the balance. It is the neutral voters who would decide the fate of the two principal contestants while the support of the Communists who are not contesting the elections this time could prop up the votes of the DMDK candidate, A. Murugayyan Babu.
Mr. Kamaraj is accessible, reaches out to even those across the political spectrum and has a good image in the constituency
