With Leema Rose in fray, Lalgudi polls turns a tough three cornered fight

Trichy: The narrow rural road to V Thuraiyur, a remote hamlet 15km north of Lalgudi, an agrarian pocket in central Tamil Nadu is packed with villagers on either side as the campaign vehicle drives through. On the vehicle is AIADMK candidate Leema Rose Martin, wife of lottery baron Santiago Martin and the richest candidate in the assembly election in Tamil Nadu this time.At one stop, her convoy halts when a family requests her to name their 15-day-old baby girl. Clad in a bright silk saree, Leema Rose steps out of the vehicle and obliges. "Leema Rose," she says, naming the child after herself, leaving the young mother beaming with a broad smile. It's a Hindu family, but the woman says she would not change the name given by Leema Rose. Such moments, and the enthusiastic reception, particularly from women voters, are beginning to unsettle DMK, which has held the Lalgudi constituency for the past two decades.Lalgudi has been an important seat for DMK – Kanakilyanur, the native village of municipal administration minister K N Nehru and Anbil, the native of education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi are located in the constituency. But DMK gambled by dropping four time MLA A Soundara Pandian and fielded T Parivallal, a new face in the segment. DMK men say he was dropped this time because of a tiff with Nehru.The party hoped that DMK's grassroot presence would help Parivallal win. But what the ruling party did not expect was AIADMK's decision to field Leema Rose in Lalgudi. She was born in Devakottai in Ramanathapuram district and was living in Coimbatore, totally unconnected to Lalgudi.Incidentally, there was no opposition from AIADMK camp when Leema, who had joined AIADMK only in Feb this year was announced, was announced as candidate. The answer to the acceptance and a subsequent enthusiastic campaign by AIADMK rank and file lay in Leema's poll affidavit. She declared total assets of Rs 1049 crore. Her family's assets including that of husband Martin was more than Rs 5000 crore.Her net worth way higher than the combined annual budget of Lalgudi municipality, Pullambadi and Poovalur town panchayats located in the constituency. In fact, her ability to fund campaigns has rejuvenated AIADMK in Lalgudi, more than other constituencies.It is not the money power alone that Leema is banking on. She hails from udayar community and follows Christianity - Lalgudi has a fine share of both. Even before the official candidature, Leema launched her campaign, met local VIPs and participated in festivals preparing the ground. "ADMK was also strong in Lalgudi. But DMK was winning because our past candidates did not offer a tough fight. Leema is filling that political vacuum," said M Krishnan, ADMK union farmer wing president from Koppavali.In the DMK camp, dropping the incumbent MLA Soundara Pandian, has not gone well among supporters. N Parthiban, a DMK functionary says they are telling people to back DMK because DMK govt was set to return and an AIADMK MLA cannot do much.Vijay's TVK has fielded former AIADMK minister Ku Pa Krishnan, making the election here a tough three corner clash.