Chennai: In the last five years, the Cauvery delta districts witnessed a wave of protests against Narendra Modi government over Cauvery river water dispute and the voters in six constituencies of this area are waiting to express their anguish on April 18, the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019. The delta was also the epicentre of protests against the hydrocarbon and methane projects which were ignored by the AIADMK government led by Edappadi K Palaniswami.
The DMK alliance is expected to sweep all the six seats in the region where the opposition to NEET also found expression through various protests as the people are angry over Centre’s refusal to provide relief to the students in this part of the state after it was badly hit by cyclone Gaja. Opposition leaders including DMK president MK Stalin and MDMK leader Vaiko, in their campaign, pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not even express his sympathy to the victims of the cyclone.
The delta was hit by protests including rail blockade and picketing of Central government offices when the Union government refused to implement the Supreme Court order to form Cauvery Management Board in the first week of October and filed an affidavit supporting Karnataka’s stand against its constitution. Later, the board was formed after several rounds of tripartite talks between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Union government.
Whenever Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu, he was greeted with black flag protests and slogans of ‘Go Back Modi’ campaign in mainly on Cauvery river water issue. The recent grouse against the BJP government is its permission for Karnataka to prepare a report on the construction of a dam on Cauvery at Mekedatu.
Aware of the acute resentment against the BJP in the delta districts, the party avoided contesting from any of the six seats in the region, while Congress is in the race in two seats. Congress candidates are expected to win in both, Karur and Tiruchy parliamentary constituencies. In Tiruchy, former TNCC leader S Thirunavukkarasar ‘s rival is not the AIADMK alliance but the candidate put up by rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran. In Perambalur constituency, DMK ally IJK is likely to capitalise on the anti-Modi wave in delta districts. Another DMK ally CPI is also trying its hard to cash upon people’s anger against ONGC projects and the Modi government’s push for hydrocarbon projects opposed by the locals.
In Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai, the DMK nominees are having a smooth sail and are assured of their success. TTV Dhinakaran’s nominees are getting considerable support due to their campaign to stop the hydrocarbon and methane projects in the area and declare delta as a protected agricultural zone.
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