Kattumannarkoil (SC): An agrarian constituency where even basic demands of farmers remain unfulfilled

Situated in the tail-end of the delta region, the largely agrarian constituency of Kattumannarkoil (SC) endowed with the Veeranam lake, which mainly meets the drinking water requirements of Chennai city is poised for an interesting battle.

The seat is held by M. Sinthanai Selvan of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and with the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) being allotted the constituency in the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), in all certainty it is going to be a tough fight between the two parties.

Although the two major Dravidian parties have held sway here in alternative elections over the past few decades, the constituency has hardly witnessed any development over the years. In the absence of any industries, agriculture sustains the rural economy in the region.

While farmers in the constituency are faced with an array of issues, lack of employment opportunities locally has been forcing youths to migrate to other districts.

Given the caste matrix of the constituency, where there are 2.24 lakh voters with a strong mix of Dalits and Vanniyars, it is the consolidation of these major groups that holds the key. The constituency also has a good concentration of Muslims and has traditionally favoured candidates of the DMK, the Congress and the VCK.

In fact, the Kattumannarkoil segment returned the most votes for the VCK during the 2024 elections. The VCK’s president Thol. Thirumavalavan polled 93,005 votes surpassing M. Chandrahasan of the AIADMK who polled a distant second with 43,569 votes. P. Karthiyayani of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) polled 23,849 votes.

Though the VCK is expected to contest the seat again, the Congress, another ally in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) is keen to contest the seat.

There is always an undercurrent of caste tension in the constituency. Caste tensions erupted within few days of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and this has continued during successive elections as well.

According to sources, there is an undercurrent of dissidence and dissatisfaction within the VCK over the style of functioning of the sitting MLA and this may have a bearing on the poll outcome. The stakes are also high for the AIADMK that is still struggling to recover lost ground after the rout of the 2021 Assembly elections.

In a constituency where agriculture is the primary occupation of 90% of voters and the river Cauvery the lifeline, the tapping of water from the Veeranam lake to Chennai presents a common cause cutting across caste and political spectrum.

“Notwithstanding repeated representations from the ryots to desilt the Veeranam lake, concrete steps are yet to be taken by the government. The constituency frequently suffers from floods, making it imperative to declare Kattumannarkoil, a disaster-prone area. Promise to set up a perfume factory for Jasmine farmers has also not been fulfilled,” said Kamatchi, a resident.

According to K.V. Elangeeran, president of Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Federation, “Being one of the most backward assembly segments, Kattumannarkoil, relies almost entirely on agriculture for livelihoods. The Veeranam lake serves as the region’s primary water sources and irrigates about 45,000 acres of agricultural land in Bhuvanagiri, Kumaratchi, Parangipettai, Keerapalayam and Kattumannarkovil blocks in Cuddalore district. Farmers have also been demanding payment of royalty or suitable compensation for water drawn from the lake to Chennai. The royalty could be fixed at the rate of one paise a litre and this could be used for taking up maintenance works annually.”

Farmers are against tapping water from the Veeranam lake. They have been demanding that the governemnt provide them with royalty at the rate of one paise a litre.

Farmers demand desilting of the Veeranam lake.