Image used for representational purpose. (File | PTI)
Image used for representational purpose. (File | PTI)

Striking gold in Kolar poll field no longer an easy task for AIADMK

The AIADMK continues to be one of the few parties from Tamil Nadu to test waters in the Karnataka Assembly polls. Old-timers recall how the party secured a seat in the neighbouring

CHENNAI: The AIADMK continues to be one of the few parties from Tamil Nadu to test waters in the Karnataka Assembly polls. Old-timers recall how the party secured a seat in the neighbouring state’s Assembly four times, mainly due to the Tamil population in certain pockets voting en masse for the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol under the sway of the party’s founder-leader M G Ramachandran. The DMK, on the other hand, could secure an MLA seat in Karnataka only once, way back in 1972.For the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, the AIADMK has announced candidates for three constituencies, while the DMK is yet to announce its candidates. 

The AIADMK won thrice, the first being in 1983, from the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) with M Bakthavachalam being the candidate on all the three occasions. Due to some technical mistakes, Bakthavachalam was considered an independent candidate in 1985 Assembly elections, and he lost. However, he managed to win again in 1989 and 1999 from KGF. In 1994 elections also, Bakthavachalam tried his luck, but without much success. However, AIADMK candidate B Muniyappa won in Gandhi Nagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.

“M G Ramachandran campaigned in the constituency in 1983 and most of the Tamils living in the area were MGR fans. Besides, Bakthavachalam also had some influence in the area in his personal capacity. Almost 90 per cent of voters of the then KGF constituency were Tamils. Hence he won very easily,” says P L Raja, a veteran journalist who had covered the region.The KGF is no longer an AIADMK bastion, mainly because the party’s idol MGR is no more. More importantly, during 2008 delimitation exercise, the boundaries were redrawn in such a way that Tamils no longer were the sole deciding factor in the elections. 

“The boundaries were redrawn just before the 2008 elections and subsequently, the Tamils of KGF lost their significant role. Now there are little chances of Tamil candidates winning in the constituency,” says Raja.Though the AIADMK candidate lost in 2004 elections, it was a Tamil-speaking candidate of the Republican Party of India who won the seat.This time, the AIADMK cadre in KGF say they are working enthusiastically to ensure the party’s victory. “We are working to regain our lost glory as many Tamils are longing for a Tamil MLA to protect them,” says T Senguttuvan, a cadre of the AIADMK in the constituency.

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