Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli

Infighting did Congress in at Tenkasi

TIRUNELVELI: At a time when the DMK and its electoral ally Congress managed to win all nine Parliamentary constituencies in southern Tamil Nadu, the CPI that fought the elections with the backing of AIADMK successfully defended the battle for Tenkasi (Reserved) segment, thanks to the infighting in the Congress camp in this traditional bastion of the national party.

When a new office-bearer was “unilaterally” introduced without the consent of the local Congress leaders, including Congress west district president ‘Kodikurichi’ T. Muthiah, it provided the firm base for the infighting between him and Kadayanallur MLA S. Peter Alphonse. The problem worsened when Mr. Muthiah and his supporters were neither invited nor allowed to work for the victory of Congress candidate for Tenkasi, G. Vellaipandi.

Even after DMK president M. Karunanidhi spoke to Mr. Muthiah on May 1 over phone after the Chief Minister came to know about the rift between Mr. Muthiah and Mr. Peter Alphonse, it never healed the wound.

Elaborating the obstacles at Tenkasi, Mr. Muthiah dashed off two letters to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on April 24 and May 1 and a note to Mr. Karunanidhi on May 8, which also failed to evoke any positive response.

Against this backdrop, a group of Congress leaders convened a meeting at Tenkasi even as electioneering had reached the crescendo and declared that they would not join hands with the persons designated by Mr. Peter Alphonse for election work and instead would independently mobilise support for Mr. Vellaipandi.

Meanwhile, the cadres of AIADMK, CPI and the MDMK had commenced the election campaign in an organised fashion and the Puthiya Thamizhagam president K. Krishnasamy also started intensive electioneering from Srivilliputtur. Though the counter offensive was launched by the Democratic Progressive Alliance with Tenkasi MLA V. Karuppasamy Pandian leading from the front, it failed to ensure the victory of the Congress candidate.

The only solace for the Congress cadre is that their candidate had bagged more votes than the rival in Kadayanallur and Tenkasi Assembly segments, being represented by Mr. Peter Alphonse and Mr. Karuppasamy Pandian.

Following the shocking electoral debacle, a group of Congress cadre burned the effigy of Mr. Peter Alphonse at Paavoorchathram hours after the results were declared on Saturday.

However, the Congress functionaries, who accept the defeat, console themselves with the justification that the 1.16 lakh votes bagged by Mr. Krishnasamy undermined their victory.

Assembly segment-wise votes polled by each candidate:

Rajapalayam: P. Lingam (CPI) 49,592; G. Vellaipandi (Congress) 32,118; K. Krishnasamy (PT) 19,430

Srivilliputtur: CPI 51,402; Congress 35,267; PT 22,548

Sankarankoil: CPI 46,074; Congress 34,706; PT 18,871

Vasudevanallur: CPI 42,784; Congress 35,734; PT 25,145

Kadayanallur: CPI 43,649; Congress 49,926; PT 16,930

Tenkasi: CPI 47,410; Congress 57,069; PT 13,582

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