PC legacy vs new-faces in Sivaganga

Voters want new MP to attract more entrepreneurs to Spices Park, more trains to stop at stations in district

-  VIGNESH V

A stronghold of Congress, the Sivaganga constituency, formed 57 years ago, has faced 14 parliamentary elections, with the candidates of the grand old party winning eight times. Congress apart, the candidates of DMK, AIADMK, and TMC had made it to the parliament from the constituency twice each.

It is none other than former union minister P Chidambaram who made Sivaganga a Congress fortress, as he won from the constituency seven times - 1984, 1989,1991, 2004 and 2009 on Congress ticket and 1996 and 1998 on TMC ticket.

His, son Karti P Chidambaram of Congress is the sitting MP of the constituency. The father-son duo has managed to represent the constituency for almost 30 years.

This time around, 52-year-old Karti of Congress-DMK alliance, who secured 52.18% vote in the last election, is pitted against first timers A Xavierdass (49) of AIADMK and BJP's TDhevanathan Yadav (63), one of the richest candidates, who is also the managing director of a television channel.

Karti's candidature despite opposition from inside the pary is testimony to the fact that Chidambaram still wields influence in the party and the region.

EM Sudarsana Natchiappan, a former Congress MP, who had opposed giving MP seat to Karti in 2019 again raised the issue unsuccessfully this time as well by joining hands with former Karaikudi Congress MLA KR Ramasamy and other anti-Chidambaram faction in the district.