Tamil Nadu polls 2026: Both Karur and Coimbatore are like my two eyes, says former minister V Senthilbalaji

KARUR: Making it clear that he will continue to monitor Karur despite his shift to a constituency in Coimbatore, former minister V Senthilbalaji on Tuesday said both places are like his two eyes.For more than a decade, politics in Karur has revolved around V Senthilbalaji. However, his decision to shift and contest from Coimbatore South has given the AIADMK renewed energy, while the DMK asserts that the former minister remains very much involved in the functioning of the district machinery. "From Coimbatore, I will take care of Karur. Karur and Coimbatore are like my two eyes. Karur is the place that introduced me to the world when I was 31 years old," Senthilbalaji said on Tuesday after launching the campaign for M Thiyagarajan, who is set to contest from the Karur seat.Senthilbalaji, who continues to be the Karur district secretary, has handpicked candidates who are his trusted aides. The DMK strongman is also overseeing preparations for M K Stalin's campaign on Wednesday, during which the DMK president will drum up support for party candidates contesting in all four constituencies. "His shift does not mean he will step away from Karur. In fact, he will ensure there is no setback for the party here. Even when he moved from the Aravakurichi constituency, he ensured his loyalist was fielded and secured victory against BJP's K Annamalai in 2021," a DMK functionary said. The DMK is fielding the same candidate from Aravakurichi, while new faces have been introduced in Kulithalai and Krishnarayapuram (reserved). "All three are trusted aides. R Elango, who is set to contest from Aravakurichi again, carried out party activities when Senthilbalaji was in jail. Meanwhile, Krishnarayapuram had long been an AIADMK bastion, but the DMK won it in 2021. To retain the seat, he recommended C K Raja, a loyalist," another DMK source added.AIADMK district sources said conditions were unfavourable for Senthilbalaji to win again in Karur and that it was due to a "fear of loss" that he chose not to contest from there. "Our candidate and former minister M R Vijayabhaskar has been campaigning for the past one-and-a-half months, while Senthilbalaji was nowhere to be seen. Only today did they start campaigning. Corruption charges, the alleged conspiracy in the Karur stampede, unfulfilled temple-related issues, and promises not kept have affected public sentiment. Fearing that, he shifted to Coimbatore," AIADMK district presidium chairman S Thiruvika said.