BJP, CPM locked in close contest in Gandarvakottai

Trichy: Sandwiched between Trichy, Thanjavur and Pudukottai cities lies Gandarvakottai, an underdeveloped area in central Tamil Nadu. As the rural segment heads for election with the hope of development, incumbent CPM MLA M Chinnadurai faces a challenger from BJP. For the saffron party, a win in Gandarvakottai, a reserved constituency, will help it make inroads into Cauvery delta districts, a Dravidian bastion.Gandarvakottai largely relies on agriculture and horticulture for revenue and employment. A town centrally located among villages in three different districts, Gandarvakottai should have been a hub for transport, education and medical infrastructure. However, locals depend on Trichy and Thanjavur for jobs and education. In the last five years, the segment did not see any transformation with civic amenities remaining backward. "For any special treatment, our villagers go to Thanjavur govt medical college hospital," T Murugesan, a farmer from Mattankal, said. In 2021, CPM's Chinnadurai won the seat by 12,721 votes. AIADMK came second, and AMMK third with 12,840 votes (8%), a little over the winning margin. This time, AMMK is in ADMK-led NDA, a factor that unsettles CPM in the DMK alliance. TVK has fielded former AIADMK minister N Subramanian. Both DMK and AIADMK are not in the fray here after 50 years."This time the contest will be tough and a close fight between CPM and BJP. Had ADMK contested, the trend could have been completely different," V Gnanapazham, a DMK supporter from Akkachipatti, said. Anti-incumbency mood persists in several villages. But BJP, relatively new to the constituency, is pushing hard to sway the disgruntled population to its side. "TVK candidate Subramanian, as a former ADMK minister, will split some of the ADMK votes, which will help CPM," T Sengodan, CPM district secretary, said. Irrespective of the party, a daunting task to deliver awaits the winner in developing the rural constituency.