Familiar rival collide for the third time

Battling a familiar rival and an anti-incumbency battle, Health Minister C.W. Vijayabaskar, who has faced several storms under the AIADMK government, is aiming for a third consecutive victory from his home ground of Viralimalai in Pudukkai district.

Interestingly, the DMK’s M. This is also the third time in a row for Palanappan. After the minister lost the last two elections, he is making an all-round bid to win the constituency.

Viralimalai was made a constituency after the delimitation process. This is the third election after 2011. Combining more than 80 panchayats, three panchayat unions and a couple of nagar panchayats, Viralimalai is a largely drought-prone constituency, where agriculture is the primary occupation. Kallar and Adi Dravid are spread over all the constituencies, which also have a mix of Agumudaiyars, Udayars, Nikears and Muthariaars.

Virilimalai has undergone substantial infrastructure development in five years, with the famous Sri Subramaniam Swamy Temple situated atop a hill. However, there are issues that remain to be noted. While the main roads connecting Virilimalai to Pudukottai and Kiranur have been re-laid, many inner villages do not have good roads. The Cauvery Joint Drinking Water Scheme also supplies supplies to the interior areas. Nevertheless, according to the residents, supplies are made once in four to six days. Locals also complain of illegal sand mining from forest streams in many villages.

There remains a long pending demand for the establishment of a government arts and science college, which forces students to travel to Tiruchi or Pudukottai for higher education. Lack of jobs has forced many educated youth to go in search of greener pastures. The once-strong gem-cutting industry in Virlimalai and Illupur has been in decline for nearly two decades. Many manufacturing units of Mathur are in the grip of recession.

Dr. In addition to a set of Vijayabaskar projects, Mr. Subramanian Swamy mentions laying a ghat road to the temple, setting up a regional transport office at Illupur, atop Viralimalai hill, setting up a TNSTC depot near Illupur, building a revenue. . Mandal office at Illupur, construction of a separate taluk at Viralimalai, and construction of a new bus stand at Viralimalai amidst his achievements. He has also organized free eye screening camps under his CVB Foundation, distributed free spectacles and performed surgeries. He considers laying the foundation stone for the recent project linking Kaveri-Gundar near Viralimalai, among his achievements. The drought-hit Pudukottai district will benefit extensively from the project along with some other southern districts. His work has generated goodwill, especially after the cyclone Gaza and the epidemic.

But DMK Camp was called by party president MK Stalin. Blamed during his campaign against Vijaybaskar exposing his “corrupt” actions. In 2016, DMKappan gave a tough fight and lost by 8,447 votes. Before he was on the DMK ticket in 2016, he contested as an Independent in 2011 and polled about 16,000 votes.

Given the high stakes, arch rivals are engaged in a no-holds-barred contest. There are indications that this will be another close race.