Key Electoral Battle: Tiruvallur sees war of ideologies between Sasikanth Senthil & Pon Balaganapathy

Amidst the campaign fervour in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur Lok Sabha constituency, a battle of ideologies and promises has emerged between Congress-DMK alliance candidate Sasikanth Senthil and BJP’s Pon Balaganapathy. Both candidates have embarked on rigorous campaigning efforts, each aiming to sway voters with their distinct narratives and visions for the constituency

Sasikanth Senthil, a former IAS officer and Congress candidate, is relying on the backing of the DMK-led alliance as he makes his bid for the parliamentary seat. In his campaign speeches, Senthil emphasises the achievements of the MGNREGS and highlights the promises made by Rahul Gandhi, including increased medical insurance for families and financial support for economically underprivileged women. He particularly targets the BJP, criticising its policies and alleging corruption within the party.

Contrastingly, Pon Balaganapathy, the BJP candidate hailing from Ramanathapuram, brings a seasoned approach to his campaign. Having contested in the 2021 assembly elections, Balaganapathy has meticulously planned his campaign strategy, focusing on ground-level outreach and engagement with constituents. He emphasises the NDA government’s initiatives over the past decade and aims to expose alleged corruption during the Congress-led UPA regimes, in which the DMK was a partner.

Balaganapathy promises to prioritise enhancing connectivity in Thiruvallur district, aiming to bring development to the region through infrastructure projects centred around the Thiruvallur Railway station. He stresses the importance of ground-level campaigning and door-to-door canvassing to effectively communicate the achievements of the Modi government to voters. Balaganapathy criticises the Congress for its alleged history of corruption and asserts that the BJP, under Modi’s leadership, has maintained a corruption-free governance record.

Highlighting the challenges faced by the district, Balaganapathy vows to address issues such as unemployment, poverty, and the plight of bonded labourers. He pledges to transform Tiruvallur into a model constituency by leveraging its natural and mineral resources for the benefit of the poor and marginalised communities.

In response, Senthil focuses on his party’s welfare schemes and promises to tackle unemployment through education and development initiatives. He criticises the BJP’s policies and accuses the party of corruption while advocating for the rehabilitation of bonded labourers and the empowerment of women.

As the campaigning intensifies, both candidates are leaving no stone unturned to garner support from voters. With contrasting campaign strategies and ideological stances, the electoral contest in Tiruvallur promises to be closely watched as the battle for parliamentary representation unfolds in Tamil Nadu.

With Tamil Nadu gearing up for single-day polling in the first phase on April 19, the campaign season has hit its peak with candidates intensifying their efforts to secure votes. Following the drama surrounding the filing and scrutiny of nominations in some constituencies, candidates are now actively engaged in door-to-door campaigns and roadshows to woo voters.

However, amidst the campaign frenzy, accusations have arisen regarding the nomination of “outsiders” in several constituencies. This phenomenon cuts across party lines, with candidates from various political parties fielded outside of their native areas for reasons such as perceived electability, caste considerations, financial resources, rebellion within the party, and the presence of multiple aspirants for the same seat.

Notable instances include former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who, contesting as an independent within the NDA alliance, has opted to contest from Ramanathapuram instead of his native constituency of Theni. Panneerselvam is banking on garnering support from the Thevar community in Ramanathapuram, stating, “I yielded Theni to TTV Dhinakaran in the last election, where my son emerged victorious.”

Actress and TV serial producer Radhika Saratkumar, originally from Chennai, is contesting from Virudhunagar as a BJP candidate. Similarly, Minister of State L Murugan is attempting to test his political fortunes once more, this time in Nilgiris, despite being native to Namakkal. BJP’s Aswathaman, hailing from Ulundurpet, is contesting from Thiruvannamalai, showcasing the party’s strategic candidate selection across districts.

In Virudhunagar, DMDMK has fielded late Vijayakant’s son Vijaya Prabhakar, whose ancestors hail from Arupukootai, although he was born and raised in Chennai. This move aims to capitalise on the significant Nadar and Naidu votes in the constituency. Meanwhile, TN BJP Chief K Annamalai, originally from Karur, has been positioned as the party’s star candidate for Coimbatore.