Resettled families key to two seats

Chennai: About 4,200 families, relocated from the banks of the flood-affected Adyar river to the outskirts of the city, may well hold the key to the outcome in the Saidapet and Sholinganallur seats this election.
These are families accommodated in Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board tenements in Perumbakkam (1,820), Ezhil Nagar (1,725) and Okkiyam Thoraipakkam (590), all located in Sholinganallur.A suburb newly merged with the Greater Chennai Corporation, it has a mix of highrise residential and commercial areas which house several IT companies. The relocation was halted after the Election Commission (EC)'s model code of conduct came into force on March 4. But those already relocated are sizeable in number.
Experts say each of the 4,200 low-income families would have at least two adults, meaning nearly 10,000 votes. Most of them are from Aathma Nagar, Little Mount, Thideer Nagar, Kotturpuram and Guindy. In the past, they have turned out in large numbers to vote. This time they are yet to get election identity cards since they moved, which could mean that their absence will be felt in the turnout in both Saidapet and Sholinganallur. But EC officials said they will be provided cards in time before polling day.
Saidapet has a reputation of being a DMK bastion; party chief M Karunanidhi has represented it twice. Of late, however, residents have been leaning towards AIADMK, said a political observer.
DMK's Saidapet candidate and former mayor M Subramanian, however, remains confident. "It [relocation] will also benefit our party in Sholinganallur but EC is yet to deliver them voter cards," he said.
AIADMK's G Senthamizhan, sitting MLA of Saidapet, said the relocated families were not votebanks of any particular party. "Our government gave them housing facilities, so they will vote for us."
Among those resettled is K Sathya, who now lives in a slum board flat in Perumbakkam. "I never missed voting in Saidapet. Now we are yet to get voter cards...we are happy to get these houses but there is no way to make a living," she said.
Her neighbour K Sudha complained about transport facilities. "Our children start at 6.30am to reach schools in Saidapet at 9am. They also reach home late. Many have dropped out."