Tamil Nadu polls: A 28-year-old doc takes on a Union minister in Avinashi

COIMBATORE: Barring the 1996 wave in favour of DMK, Avinashi (reserved) constituency in Tirupur district has remained an AIADMK bastion for nearly four decades. While AIADMK candidates have changed over the years, the support for 'two leaves' symbol remained.

This time, however, the AIADMK sprung a surprise by ceding one of its strongest segments to the BJP. The saffron ally in turn surprised everyone by fielding Union minister L Murugan there.

DMK responded with an even bigger surprise, nominating 28-year-old political greenhorn V Gokilamani to take on the seasoned BJP leader. Chief minister M K Stalin sought to send out a twin message through the choice. One was the party's intent to promote young leadership in the backdrop of TVK chief Vijay's traction among youth. The other was a calculated outreach to arunthathiyar voters, who form a sizeable population in Avinashi as well as adjoining constituencies in western Tamil Nadu.

DMK has been emphasizing that Gokilamani, a doctor by profession, had pursued MBBS under the 3% internal reservation for Arunthathiyars introduced in 2009 by the late party patriarch M Karunanidhi during his tenure as chief minister.

"This shows our leader's (M K Stalin) keenness to nurture youth and his commitment to social justice,'' says Gokilamani, who resigned her posting at Nambiyampalayam primary health centre in Feb to join DMK.

DMK workers have been campaigning actively believing her professional background and youth appeal would resonate with voters, ending DMK's years of struggle to win the segment.

BJP men say they have made inroads in Avinashi segment over the last few years. Murugan who hails from Namakkal district contested in Dharapuram in neighbouring Erode district in 2021 election and lost to DMK's Kayalvizhi Selvaraj. This time he has chosen Avinashi, banking largely on AIADMK.

Though AIADMK men were surprised by their party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami ceding the seat to BJP, they say it was a strategic move to deny ticket to sitting MLA P Dhanapal. Dhanapal fell out with EPS and had also criticized him openly. His son Lokesh Tamilselvan joined TVK and has been fielded as candidate in Rasipuram.

Nevertheless, Murugan called on Dhanapal and sought his support in the upcoming assembly election.

An AIADMK functionary described the race as a 'difficult fight' between the DMK and BJP, adding that Murugan's chances improve only if anti-DMK votes are not split by TVK. The TVK has fielded S Kamali while NTK has nominated Menaka.

Poll watchers say TVK could draw a share of youth and dalit votes which would have otherwise gone to the AIADMK-BJP combine. If that split deepens, the contest could tilt in the DMK's favour, say poll observers.
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