Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogans rend the air as JP Nadda’s cavalcade rolls down a road in Paramakudi in south Tamil Nadu. The BJP president sports a scarf with the jackfruit symbol of former chief minister O Panneerselvam who is contesting from Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency as an Independent candidate of the NDA alliance after his expulsion from ADMK.
“Vendum Modi, meendum Modi (We want Modi, once again Modi),” the crowd chants as Nadda’s roadshow moves on in the constituency that goes to polls this Friday.
For Panneerselvam, an MLA from Bodinayakanur, the contest is a matter of prestige as he continues his legal battle with ADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. But as of now, he has only Modi to thank. “Modi has been overseeing diverse states, languages, and cultures. No caste or religious conflict has occurred during his tenure,” Panneerselvam tells TOI. “Palaniswami has bought off ADMK leaders, but the cadres are with me.”
Panneerselvam had stepped in for former ADMK chief Jayalalithaa twice, when she was disqualified or had to go to prison in corruption cases. He had another brief stint as CM soon after she died. Having been restrained by courts from using the ADMK flag, Panneerselvam displays large portraits of Jayalalithaa on his campaign vehicle. Jayalalithaa confidante VK Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran has extended the support of his party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) to Panneerselvam. But Nadda knows Panneerselvam cannot win this battle on his past glory. “This is not just an election of Panneerselvam ji,” he tells a rally. “It’s also to make India a developed country in 2047.”
OPS also faces the menace of dummy candidates: There are at least four other candidates by the name Panneerselvam. That the NDA candidate doesn’t have a popular symbol has added to his headache.
Spread across three districts — Pudukkottai, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram, the seat comprises six assembly segments (Aranthangi, Tiruchuli, Paramakudi (reserved), Tiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram and Mudukulathur) which are all represented by either DMK or Congress.
Mukkulathors (30%), Dalits (25%) and Muslims (17%), besides Thevars, remain the influential groups here.
Panneerselvam, a Mukkulathor, is relying on Dalits who have cosied up to BJP after Modi gave them the dignified name of Devendrakula Vellalars in 2021. But he is pitted against incumbent Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP K Navas Kani— an ally of DMK and part of INDIA bloc, who enjoys the support of Muslims in Ramanathapuram, Thiruvadanai, and Aranthangi, as well as the sizeable Christians and fisherfolk.
Eyeing the fishing community vote, BJP has tried to rekindle interest in Katchatheevu, the islet of contention between fishing communities of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
For Ramanathapuram fisherfolk, the dispute with Lanka over fishing rights is a pain point. The Lankan navy has repeatedly fired at and captured Tamil Nadu fishermen. More than 350 boats of Indian fishermen remain in Lankan custody. “A boat costs Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore. At least 50 families rely on a boat for livelihood. The families are now migrating to other states,” said All Mechanized Boats Association president P Sesuraja. Fishermen of Ramanathapuram largely belong to the Christian community.
DMK minister Thangam Thennarasu dismissed Katchatheevu as a non-issue. “People know it is all stage managed,” he said. Along with DMK minister R S Raja Kannappan, Thennarasu has been engaging with the Mukkulathor and Yadava communities to gain support for Kani.
In Ramanathapuram, Palaniswami too has criticised BJP for using Katchatheevu for political gains, and highlighted Jayalalithaa’s efforts at retrieving the islet. The party’s candidate P Jeyaperumal, meanwhile, is banking on the ‘two leaves symbol’ and perceived anti-incumbency against the state and Union govts. But ADMK is facing heat from the Mukkulathor community for reducing the MBC quota to extend the Vanniyar quota. The DMK camp continues to call ADMK “stooges of BJP”.
