Battle for Coimbatore a puzzle as candidates play development card

It’s a different ball game this time in the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu comprising Coimbatore as electioneering picked up momentum this week. Development has become the main talking point unlike in earlier elections when religious fundamentalism was a major issue.

The entry of a caste-based outfit called Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhakam (KMK) into the electoral arena has also threatened to spoil the chances of the leading candidates.
Better known as ‘Manchester of South India’, Coimbatore lacks infrastructure matching its growth, something the industrial community has been complaining for a long time now.

No wonder that candidates have promised the industries and citizens’ forums that their demands like development of airport, railway links and roads would be met. Even BJP candidate Selvakumar and DMDK’s R Pandian have been stressing the need to develop Coimbatore in the lines of Chennai.

Sentiments seem to be running high against the DMK government for the crippling power shortage.

This places Congress candidate and five-time MP, R Prabhu in a disadvantageous position at the very outset in this industrial region.

Political observers here see the contest as essentially between Prabhu, also a former minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government, and P R Natarajan of the CPM. What has given a new dimension to the contest is the electoral foray made by KMK which vows to safeguard the interests of Konguvelala Gounders. The CPM and Congress have been attacking the KMK for whipping up caste sentiments.

Prabhu belongs to the Kammavar Naidu community while Natarajan, KMK candidate E R Easwaran and Pandian are all Gounders. Poll watchers believe that Easwaran would make a dent in the votes of all outfits despite efforts to isolate him.

However, Natarajan prefers to differ. “The caste bogey will not work here. The dangerous game that they are playing will boomerang on its candidate only,’’ he told Deccan Herald while campaigning in Vadavalli, some 15 kilometres from here on Tuesday.

“All the claims of discrimination against the Konguvelala community is false. This would only serve to  divide the people on caste lines and create resentment among other communities,’’ warns Prabhu who had shifted from the neighbouring Nilgiris to here as the former got dereserved.

Though the Congress focus has been on development and continuity, the inability of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to campaign because of ill health is worrying Prabhu’s camp. The Kalaignar’s public meeting scheduled for Thursday in Coimbatore has been cancelled.