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February 20, 1998

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Campaign Trail/A Ganesh Nadar

V Gopalsamy may walk away with Sivakasi

Sivakasi is a world famous town, thanks to its printing and firecracker industry. It is also infamous for its child labour. Sadly, however, child labour is not an issue in this election, nor has it been one in any earlier election.

Sivakasi comprises Koilpatti, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Srivilliputur and Rajapalayam and has a little over 1.2 million voters with women outnumbering men.

In the last election, which was won by CPI candidate Alagirisamy, the first three candidates polled over 200,000 votes each, with only a slim margin separating them. While the AIADMK lost by 23,000 votes, 'Vaiko' -- as Marulmarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary V Gopalsamy likes to call himself -- was behind by 10,000 votes only.

This time round it's a straight fight between Alagiriswamy and Vaiko.

Both are Naickers, which is the majority community here. This constituency is dominated by Telugu-speaking Naidus Reddiars. Only Virudhunagar has a sizeable number of Nadars who are very prosperous.

The frequent caste clashes in the southern districts have disturbed this constituency regularly. Both Dalits and Thevars who were involved in the clashes blame the government for being indifferent.
While the Thevars are expected to vote for the AIADMK front, the Dalit vote will be garnered by the Puthiya Tamilagam.

Both Alagirisamy and Vaiko are going all out. One voter grumbled, "Alagirisamy come to our street yesterday. I don't know how he found my street, I haven't seen him for 18 months. I'll vote for Vaiko."

There are many large towns in this constituency, and while the urban voter is expected to vote for Alagirisamy, the rural ones will plumb for Vaiko.

The Sivakasi Nadars, among the richest in this constituency are supporting the DMK Front's candidate. This is the first time I am seeing industrialists support a Communist. Perhaps it is to do with Jayalalitha's openly siding with the Thevars whereby she has lost the support of all other communities in Tamil Nadu.

Compared to other places, the election is quiet in Sivakasi. The people say this is because both the AIADMK and the DMK have not put up their own candidates. To see high-pitched battles the two Dravidian parties need to be at each other's throats.

In the last election Vaiko put out a list of Jayalalitha's properties. This time he is publicising Karunanidhi's properties. The one thing is that he does both with elan.

Outside Sivakasi's main bus stop the Puthiya Tamilagan was holding a meeting. The speaker was telling his 100-strong crowd: "This hand is SC, this other hand is a Thevar. If they come together, no force in this state can shake us, no fellow can become chief minister without us." Obviously the Puthiya Tamilagan has never heard of the election code warning against caste-based appeals.

Despite the many industries where the Communists have a solid votebank among the workers, Vaiko is expected to win. A lot of people want him to win because they feel he is a good parliamentarian, even if a trifle controversial.

Like Jaya's alleged corruption. Vaiko's alleged LTTE connections do not seem to matter in this election.

Campaign Trail

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