CPM gives up Madurai South seat, considered its stronghold, to MDMK

Madurai: The CPM has conceded the Madurai South assembly constituency, which was added only during the last assembly election and considered its stronghold, to Vaiko-led MDMK and instead got the Madurai West constituency.
With the allocation of the Madurai West constituency, it is going to be a herculean task for the Communist party if one were to consider the analysis of previous election results.
In 2011 assembly election, there was stiff competition between the AIADMK and DMK in Madurai West with state minister Sellur K Raju emerging victorious by securing 94,798 votes while his rival and DMK candidate G Thalapathi polling 56,037 votes.
Interestingly, out of six AIADMK MLAs in the district, Raju is the only sitting MLA who has been given a ticket again to contest from Madurai West. Similarly, DMK has fielded Thalapathi once again in the same constituency.
As far as CPM is concerned, the erstwhile Madurai East constituency used to be its citadel. Out of 10 contests in Madurai East, it had won five times - 1967, 1977, 1980, 2001 and 2006.
However, in 2011, due to delimitation of assembly constituencies, a new constituency Madurai South was created by adding majority of areas from Madurai East.
Accordingly, CPM fielded R Annadurai in Madurai South. He won the election defeating Congress candidate S P Varadarajan by securing 83,441 votes.
In this scenario, the CPM was given Madurai West. Normally, the CPM would face election with the alliance of either the DMK or AIADMK.
In the past, it used to demand then Madurai East and contest in it except during the 1996 election.
It is said that Vaiko pressed the CPM to give up Madurai South as MDMK candidate M Boominathan lost to CPM's N Nanmaran by just 51 votes. Nanmanran had secured 36,383 votes while Boominathan secured 36,332 votes.
Senior CPM leader and ex-MLA N Nanmaran said, "When the alliance parties sit and talk, there will be discussions on adjusting some seats and places. Accordingly, the same thing has happened in case of Madurai South also. However, we will win in Madurai West."
It is expected that MDMK will field Boominathan in Madurai South this time too.