Mired in caste tiff, ecological issues, Cuddalore wants an active MP

CHENNAI: The largely rural constituency is caught between a struggling traditional economy and environmental hazards of new forms of development. The agricultural economy dominated by cashew nut, jackfruit and paddy farming is either hit by vagaries of monsoon and cyclones or by environmental hazards caused by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and pharma, and drug industries.

Groundwater depletion and contamination are the poll issues in this constituency. The poor performance in the Human Development Index (HDI) such as health, education and gender equality shows how political representatives of this seat have forsaken the public good for a long.

The Cuddalore constituency is also torn apart by caste-based discrimination, atrocities and violence, pitting lowered caste Dalits in conflict with rising OBCs Vanniyars. Thus the seat is the conflict zone of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), putting all the much-needed socio-economic issues to the back seat for several decades. Elected representatives turning a blind eye to the burning issues of the constituency is a recurring issue in Cuddalore. In the 2019 general election DMK candidate TRVS Ramesh, an owner of a cashew unit in Panruti, won the elections. Soon he was mired in an accusation of the killing of a 60-year-old daily wage labourer at his factory in September 2021. With the murder charges and the case now with the CB-CID, several of the key assurances made by the sitting MP are in thin air.

Cuddalore is now witnessing elections without any presence of the sitting MP. DMK has allotted this seat to its alliance partner Congress. The Grand Old Party in turn has fielded an outsider MK Vishnu Prasad, an outgoing MP from the Arani constituency, in the constituency even as his performance in his sitting constituency is a big question. Being the son of former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president M Krishnasamy is not going to help Cuddalore voters as they worry whether he would be available to attend to the issues of the region if in case he wins.

Interacting with the media during nomination, Prasad assured addressing the environmental concerns caused by SIPCOT industries in the region to many polluting pharma, and drug companies. He also promised he would work for permanent jobs for people who had given land to Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC). Vishnu Prasad also talked of ensuring preference for locals in the NLC, whether it is possible in the public-sector undertaking is a question.

AIADMK in alliance with DMDK has nominated P Sivakolunthu, a former MLA and a native of Panruti, as the candidate for Cuddalore. Sivakolunthu too assured action on environmental issues. Making his debut in politics with the Lok Sabha polls representing PMK in the seat, writer-filmmaker-actor Thangar Bachan is confident because of the Vanniyar vote base and because he is contesting with BJP support.

Bachan is a localite, a native of Pathirakottai in Panruti taluk, and has promised to improve the lives of cashew and jackfruit farmers and workers in the unorganised sectors of the processing units in the area. Bachan came down heavily on SIPCOT and NLC’s apathy towards people. Though all three candidates belong to the Vanniyar community, many stakeholders of the district say they aspire for a policymaker with a clear goal who can bring in real-time changes.

Speaking to DT Next, T Arulselvan, the chairman of Tamil Nadu Consumer Education Development Foundation, Cuddalore said, “It is about time that Cuddalore had an MP who is accessible to the people. And, importantly a native of the region. The representative should be an ace policy maker who is truly a representative of the people rather than a puppet of a party.” Arulselvan pleads for at least proper fund allocation and utilising of MPLADS scheme funding. “Ravaging floods, cyclones, and caste atrocities aren’t new to the locality, which the MPs should attend to with empathy. Especially gender inequality is an issue,” he added.

Locals of the constituency highlight their need for a medical college and hospital in district headquarters, as they are forced to take ill people to long distances for higher treatments.