An uphill task awaits DMDK’s Sudhish in Kallakurichi
However, Sudhish, who campaigned for Vijayakant in the last two Assembly elections in 2011 and 2016, has a good idea about the constituency.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-04-15 03:30 GMT
Chennai
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) candidate LK Sudhish, brother-in-law of DMDK founder, Vijayakant, who is contesting in Kallakurichi Lok Sabha constituency is set to face a tough battle from DMK candidate Gautham Sigamani, son of former minister Ponmudi.
Kallakurichi constituency, with the total voters of 15.28 lakh, is one of the biggest constituencies with a tough terrain, making election campaigning a difficult task for the contestants. The constituency contains of various hills such as Kalvarayan hills in which there are only single roads which makes vehicle movement an uphill task.
The Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Assembly constituencies such as Rishivandiyam, Sankarapuram, Kallakurichi, Gangavalli, Attur and Yercaud. Out of the six, four were won by the AIADMK in 2016 elections and remaining two by the DMK.
The constituency existed from 1967 to 1975, but was removed due to delimitation. But, it came again into existence since 2009, after delimitation. Since, 2009 DMK had won once, in the 2009 Parliamentary elections and AIADMK once in 2014 Parliamentary elections.
Though the AIADMK won Kallakurichi constituency in the previous elections, the constituency was allotted to the DMDK in the alliance. DMDK had fielded Sudhish for the second time from the constituency.
Sudhish earlier contested in 2009 Parliament elections, but came third after DMK and PMK, which was part of AIADMK alliance. However, in 2014 Parliament elections Sudhish contested from Salem constituency and again lost.
In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 18, Sudhish is set to face a tough battle from local lad, Gautham Sigamani. A doctor by profession, Gautham Sigamani, is a popular face in the constituency due to his father Ponmudi and he is going to face the elections for the first time.
Though the battle is mainly between the two contestants, other candidates in the fray are AMMK candidate Komuki Manian and MNM candidate H Ganesh.
Kallakurichi constituency is one of the favourite constituencies of Vijayakant as in 2011 he contested in Rishivandiyam Assembly constituency, which is part of Kallakurichi Lok Sabha constituency and won. His win in Rishivandiyam made him the Opposition leader and so he contested again in 2016 Assembly elections, but lost.
Sudhish, who campaigned for Vijayakant in the last two elections, in 2011 and 2016, has a good idea about the constituency, but will he realise the dream of Captain or will he fall prey to dynastic politics of the DMK will be decided by the voters of the constituency on this Thursday.
THE MAIN CONTENDERS
Gautham Sigamani
A doctor by profession, Gautham Sigamani is the son of former DMK Minister Ponmudi. Hailed as son of soil, Gautham will face the election for the first time. However, the only controversy around him is the tag of dynastic politics and opposition parties are stressing on it in their election campaign to their advantage.
LK Sudhish
DMDK deputy secretary Sudhish is the brother-in-law of DMDK founder Vijayakant. Though Sudhish is an outsider to the district, he had already contested in the constituency in 2009. He had also campaigned for Vijayakant in 2011 and 2016 Assembly constituencies when the DMDK founder contested in Rishivandhiyam and Kallakurichi constituencies, respectively.
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