NTK candidates have a head start in poll campaign

With just about three weeks left for covering the length and breadth of their constituencies, candidates of various political parties have hit the streets in Tiruchi district to reach out to the voters.

Although most of the candidates have begun their campaign over the past couple of days, candidates of the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) have made a head start as the party leader Seeman had announced the candidates well ahead of other parties.

“I launched my campaign 11 days ago and I have already covered about 7 or 8 village panchayats in the constituency. Rather than just traversing on vehicle I prefer to go door-to-door and sit with people to explain our ideology and discuss the problems in the constituency,” says T. Rajesh, NTK candidate for Tiruverumbur constituency.

Given the searing heat, the candidates start early in the day and have a break in the afternoon. “We campaign from seven in the morning till about noon and resume at four in the evening and go on till about 10 p.m.,” Mr. Rajesh said.

V. Krishnasamy, a radiologist and the NTK candidate for Tiruchi East, sticks to almost the same timings. He had begun the campaign in January after his candidature was made known to him. “I have already gone door-to-door and covered most parts of my constituency already. Now, I go by a vehicle to reach out to people, highlighting the issues in the constituencies and our policies,” Dr. Krishnasamy said.

Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru commenced his campaign soon after filing his nomination papers on Monday. Similarly, AIADMK candidates such as R. Manohar (Srirangam) and G. Rajasekar (Tiruchi East) too have started canvassing for votes in the city.