These communities constitute 38.46% of the DMK-led front and 47.44% of the AIADMK-led coalition.
The communities – Vanniyakula Kshatriya, Mukuluthor (‘Thevars’) and Kongu Vellalar (Gounders) – are responsible for the lion’s share of candidates nominated by the DMK and the AIADMK-led coalition.
According to a study of the caste hierarchy of candidates, done by a group of individuals under the banner of ‘Forum for Real Social Justice and Inclusion’, these communities constitute 38.46% of the DMK-led front candidates and 47.44% of them. Of the coalition led by AIADMK. The DMK and its allies have nominated 36 Vanniyakula Kshatriya candidates and 27 candidates each from Kongu Vellalar and Mukkulathor. The corresponding figures of the AIADMK-led coalition are 42, 32 and 37, one of the study members, R. Subash says.
The DMK-led coalition has fielded 13 Tulava Velala or Mudaliyar and 15 Naidu candidates. But the AIADMK-led coalition has nominated only 10 Naidu candidates. The DMK-led front has nominated 7 candidates from the Hindu Nadar community and eight from the AIADMK-led front. For religious minorities, the DMK-led front has elected 11 Muslims and 10 Christians, including 7 Nadars, while the AIADMK-led front has retained 4 Muslims and 8 Christians, including 4 Nadars. However, the number of Christians does not include the community of fishermen who are taken into account separately.
Isai Vellalar and Brahmin are two “mutually exclusive” communities for the two structures. The DMK-led coalition has not nominated the three Christian Vellar candidates and the AIADMK-led coalition. The AIADMK-led coalition has pitted the front with two Brahmins and DMK.
For the 44 seats reserved for SC, an academic doing an independent study of the breakdown of candidates’ caste says that although Arunthathiyars live in a large number of western districts, many reserved seats have been given to other SC communities. The DMK-led front has selected four Arunathiyars and the AIADMK-led coalition three.
Both alliances have fielded 14–15 Devendrakula Vellar candidates.
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