Chennai: Both the ruling AIADMK and its arch rival DMK, who have won the Aravakurichi seat four times each, enter the race with high hopes since they have equal chances, going by the past electoral records.
This underdeveloped rural constituency, near the industrialised Karur town, has not been the bastion of any party and changed hands between the Dravidian rivals from 1984. DMK has won the seat two times consecutively in 2006 and 2011 Assembly elections. But, the victory margin was around three per cent on both the occasions, indicating a close contest.
Aravakurichi, which is known for drumstick cultivation and supplies the vegetable to the central districts, is one of the oldest constituencies in Tamil Nadu, which has gone to the polls from 1957, immediately after the reorganisation of the states.
In the first two elections, it has been with the Congress and changed hands to Swatantara Party, an ally of the DMK in 1967. The seat was won by Muslim League, which was in the DMK alliance in 1971 and by the Congress which contested alone in 1977.
Ever since the AIADMK bagged the seat in 1980, Aravakurichi has shifted hands between the Dravidian rivals in every election. It was retained by the AIADMK in 1984 and won by the DMK in 1989. The AIADMK wrested it in 1991 and again it went to the DMK in 1996. DMK won the seat in 1996 and the AIADMK in 2001. The seat was swinging between the two parties for six Assembly elections and finally, the DMK stopped the trend by winning it consecutively in 2011.
However, the margin of difference was very thin as DMK nominee K.C. Palanisamy polled 49.71 per cent votes, compared to the AIADMK’s 46.61 per cent.
The DMK has fielded its victorious candidate Palanisamy, while it is a new turf for former AIADMK minister Senthil Balaji, who won from the nearby Karur constituency.
But, people’s preference for electing a ruling party nominee in a bypoll to ensure development of their area could be a major advantage for Senthil Balaji. But, Palanisamy knows the area like the palm of his hand and the campaign of party treasurer M.K. Stalin could be an added advantage.
