Pro-Dalit outfit making all out bid to capture Tenkasi seat

TENKASI: Pro-Dalit outfit Puthiya Tamizhagam is making an all out bid to capture Tenkasi (Reserved) seat, riding on the support of DMK-led DPA alliance with which it has struck an electoral pact for the April 24 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

PT leader K Krishnaswamy, a fiery orator, who garnered more than one lakh votes in the last LS polls in 2009 fighting without any ally, hopes to achieve a turnaround in his poll fortunes and also that of his party.

Puthiya Tamizhagam is straining every nerve to make inroads into the traditional Congress bastion, which returned CPI candidate P Lingam in 2009, who defeated G Velliapandi (Cong).

AIADMK has fielded M Vasanthi, wife of Murugesan, who had won the constituency earlier, while Congress has chosen Dr K Jayakumar and CPI has renominated Lingam. Dr T Sadhan Thirumalaikumar of DMDK is also contesting as NDA candidate.

This drought prone backward constituency, where the caste factor always plays a dominant role in deciding the winner, is witnessing a multi-cornered contest.

The constituency is dominated by the Thevar caste, followed by Dalits. Hindu outfits also wield good influence in the area.

Voters express their anguish over elected representatives, saying they have failed to ensure development and promote tourism in this constituency, which comprises six assembly segements of Tenkasi, Kadayanallur, Vasudevanallur, Sankarankovil, Rajapalayam and Srivilliputhur.

Tenkasi has a total electorate of 13.49 lakh.