Cong, BJP to battle it out in Kanyakumari

In a state dominated by the two Dravidian parties, the fight for Kanyakumari is undoubtedly between Congress and the BJP for the May 16 polls.     

The AIADMK and DMK in Tamil Nadu have had swept the polls in several districts in the last 50 years to rule the state. But in 2011 assembly elections, despite stiff opposition by the AIADMK, Congress had won in three constituencies out of five in Kanyakumari. However, this time, Kanyakumari-dominated Congress will have to face a tough challenge from the BJP, which improved its strength considerably in the last Lok Sabha elections.

Soon after BJP candidate Pon Radhakrishnan won the Lok Sabha polls in April 2014, his party also won in local body election, which pushed the Congress to the back seat.

To save the face of the party, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) has nominated only two Congress heavy weights and sitting MLAs such as Vijayadharani and J G Prince, who are seeking re-election in Vilavancode and Colachel respectively.

As Kanyakumari district is a communally sensitive area with Christian domination, BJP cadres feel that if both the AIADMK and DMK contest, the votes of the minorities would get polarised and this would in turn favour the national party, which could grab the Hindu votes.

BJP has fielded C Dharmaraj in Vilavankodu, which is considered to be the Congress fort and Kumari Pa Ramesh is pitted against sitting Congress MLA Prince in Colachel.

"We will win in all the six constituencies in Kanyakumari by a big margin. As we promised to establish the Rs 21,000 crore-commercial harbour, which is pending from the last 5 decades, we are getting good response from the people," BJP senior leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, who was elected as MP in Kanyakumari, told DH.

Though DMK and AIADMK too have nominated their candidates in Kanyakumari, all eyes will be at Vilavankodu constituency, where it will be a neck-to-neck contest between BJP and Congress.

"My welfare measure for the Vilavankodu people will speak. My focus is only to win bigger," Congress candidate Vijayadharani said. "Party workers’ mood is upbeat. All the six candidates from Kanyakumari are determined to enter the assembly this time," BJP candidate Dharmaraj said.