Fisher communities upset over limited allocation of tickets by Dravidian majors

Fisher community organisations in Tamil Nadu have accused the DMK and the AIADMK of systematically excluding them from the electoral race, citing the limited representation to members of the community this poll season.

With a marine fisherfolk population of nearly 11 lakh spread across 608 fishing villages along the 1,076-km coastline, the community is concentrated in nearly 37 core coastal Assembly constituencies, and wields decisive influence in an estimated 60 to 70 seats across 14 coastal districts. Yet, in the candidate lists announced so far, tickets allotted to sea-faring fishers by the two major Dravidian parties remain extremely limited.

Allocations so far

Community leaders point out that the DMK has fielded Minister Ma. Subramanian, who comes from a fishing community. However, several coastal groups argue that he belongs to an inland fishing community and does not adequately represent the interests of marine fishers.

The AIADMK has allotted tickets to sea fisher candidates in three constituencies — Thiruvottiyur, Royapuram, and Kurinjipadi. Smaller parties have shown greater accommodation. The Naam Tamilar Katchi has fielded five candidates from the community, while the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has allotted four seats.

P. Anguthan, coordinator of the Coastal Action Network, described the under-representation as stark. “Even the Fisheries Minister in the previous Assembly was not from the community… The community has consistently supported Dravidian parties. If social justice is to have any meaning, it must translate into political power. Without adequate representation, it remains mere rhetoric.”

Growing discontent

According to him, discontent is visibly growing among fisher voters, who traditionally back Dravidian parties but now feel marginalised.

R.M.P. Rajendra Nattar, president of the Indian National Fishermen Union, said the community’s long-standing support for the DMK had given way to disappointment.

“As a decisive voting bloc, with our votes ranging between 5% and 22% in several constituencies, we have been given almost no space in the candidate lists of the major parties. From conflicts with Sri Lankan authorities in the Palk Strait to fisheries regulations and declining catches, decisions continue to be taken without us at the table.”

In the neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry, the situation is no different. S. Rupesh Kumar, coordinator of the Tamil Nadu–Puducherry Meenavar Sangangalin Kootamaippu, said not a single seat had been allotted to fishermen by the major alliances, despite their presence in at least seven to ten of the 30 Assembly constituencies.

“Of the 30 seats, neither the All India N.R. Congress–Bharatiya Janata Party alliance nor the Congress–Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance has fielded a candidate from the community,” he said.

He recalled the legacy of Jeevarathinam, a prominent fisher leader associated with the early years of the DMK. “Despite such historical contributions, the community continues to be overlooked in ticket distribution,” he said.

Responding to the criticism, DMK Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader Constandine Ravindran told The Hindu that representation of the fisher community’s many sub-groups could only be accommodated on a rotational basis.

MP’s response

While acknowledging the demands of coastal fishers as legitimate, he said micro-level representation for every sub-group was not always feasible. “There has never been a DMK government without fisher representation,” he said.

Mr. Ravindran said when the DMK first came to power in 1967, G.R. Edmund, from the seashore fishing community, was fielded from Tiruchendur and he went on to become the Deputy Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. In 2021, Ma. Subramanian, from the fisher community, was inducted as a Minister.

He said whenever a DMK government was in power, fisher representation has been ensured — if not in the State Cabinet, then at the parliamentary level — covering both seashore and inland fishing communities.

Mr. Ravindran added that former DMK leader M. Karunanidhi was particular about this, often invoking the reference to seashore fishers as “Paratavar” in Tholkappiyam, and ensuring their representation in one form or another.

Likewise, he said that this time, as a representative from the seashore fisher community, he himself was given a Rajya Sabha seat, which is “equivalent to that of a Minister in terms of protocol”.

While certain sections with internal political agendas against the DMK could be contributing to such criticism, it would not hold water, he added.

However, M.D. Dhayalan, president of the Indian Fishermen Association, said growing discontent among coastal voters could make representation a decisive undercurrent in several constituencies this election.

Published – April 03, 2026 12:37 am IST