drought-prone belt in Karur district, Aravakurichi may have large tracts of arid land. But the region is considered fertile in terms of money flow as far election is concerned as manifest by the seizure of Rs. 4.77 crore and about Rs.1 crore worth dress material from a house at Ayyampalayam in the constituency recently.
The constituency that begins from Aravakurichi and Pallapatty in the south extends up to Velayuthampalayam in the north. While most parts of Aravakurichi and K. Paramathi unions have parched lands and rocky terrains, Velayuthampalayam is blessed with fertile lands.
Although Karur district is known for its vibrant handloom textile industry, industrialisation has not spread to Aravakurichi but for the blue metal mining at Thennilai and K. Paramathi and the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Paper Ltd at Pugalur.
Residents of Aravakurichi rue that the successive governments and elected representatives have failed to encourage setting up of small and tiny industrial units. In the absence of industries. People depend on Karur for jobs.
Although there is a good demand across the country for Aravakurichi drumstick, it is not reflected in the prices. Elected representatives have long been promising drumstick powder manufacturing unit.
But it has remained a promise. Not event cold storage facilities have been created for storing drumsticks to help farmers preserve the produce till the prices look up.
Drinking water remains a major issue. Water is supplied only once in three or four days to homes. A combined Cauvery drinking water project for stable water supply has been a long-pending demand in the constituency.
Pitted against MLA K.C. Palanisamy of the DMK is the former Minister V. Senthil Balaji of the AIADMK, who quickly became a prominent person in the party from being a novice a few years ago. KCP, as Mr. Palanisamy is referred to in the political and industrial circles, is considered a heavyweight in the constituency. Mr. Senthil Balaji, a gounder, is no pushover either. Both are busy “reaching out” to the voters through various means.
The MDMK, which is part of DMDK-PWF-TMC alliance, has fielded G. Kalaiarasan. Although he may not match the money power of other major contestants, he is making fervent efforts to tap the image of the MDMK in the constituency, which has sizeable cadre base since its launch.
The PMK, the Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Party, and the IJK have also fielded their candidates.
Gounders and Muslims are the dominant forces in the constituency. Dalits too have sizeable presence. The AIADMK and the DMK camps are working overtime to win over Muslim voters in Pallapatti to tilt the scales in their favour. It is said that Mr. Palanisamy had managed to win the 2011 elections with the support of voters in Pallapatti.
“I do not depend on the governments to fulfil the basic requirements of people. I spend a lot on my own. Voters know it well,” Mr. Palanisamy says.
“I do not consider Palanisamy as a strong man. Each and every house has benefited with Amma’s welfare schemes. The result will reveal who the strongman is,” Mr. Senthil Balaji said.
Mr. Kalaiarasan is confident that people have decided to reject the AIADMK and the DMK. They would give a chance to him this time. However, political analysts are of the view that it is the money power that will determine the results of the Aravakurichi constituency.
