The hub of export-oriented textile units and bus building facilities set to witness high-stakes electoral battle

Karur, which is known for textile industry with various allied industries like ginning, spinning mills, dyeing factories, and weaving, has of late has emerged as a high-stakes and closely watched constituency, defined by intense political rivalries and shifting caste equations, particularly among the dominant Kongu Vellala Gounder community.

The change in political climate after the Karur stampede that occurred during the address of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay on September 27, 2025, has added to the political heat in the constituency.

Textile, bus body building and agricultural sector, primarily drives the economy of Karur, one of the major industrial hubs in the State. The total annual manufacturing value of the town is approximately estimated at ₹9,000 crore. It is a significant exporter, contributing roughly ₹6,000 crore annually in foreign exchange.

The town is renowned for home textiles, including bed linen, kitchen cloths, mats, and table covers. It is a major hub for bus body building, with over 60 units functioning in and around the city, constructing a significant portion of South India’s private bus bodies. As of 2024, there were over 26,000 registered industrial units in the district, covering textile, engineering, and bus body building.

On the flip side, the city is no different from Tiruppur, Erode,and Coimbatore when it comes to the degradation of environment due to industrialisation and urbanisation. Karur had about 450 dyeing and bleaching units 10 years ago. They were blatantly discharging untreated effluents in the Amaravathi. Most of them had to close their operation following the order of the Madras High Court. Only those units with zero liquid discharge were allowed to continue. The number has come down to 68. However, civic activists allege that a section of them discreetly discharges untreated effluents in the Amaravathi.

Establishing a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) has been a long-pending demand of the textile manufacturers. The State government, considering the importance of regulated discharge of effluents, came out with a plan to establish CETP in 2021 on 250 acres of land. However, it remains only on paper. The efforts to find a suitable land are still going on, thereby causing discontent among the industrialists.

Many residents complain of short supply of drinking water to Karur. Water is supplied from various sources along the riverbeds of the Cauvery. The Cauvery is not only the lifeline of farmers in delta region but also meets the drinking water demand of several towns, including Ramanathapuram, which is about 200 km from Tiruchi. There is a strong grouse among the residents of Karur that the successive State governments have failed to implement an exclusive and comprehensive drinking water scheme to the textile town.

A flash point

Among all issues, the recent action of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) officials on retrieving a vast extent of Sri Balasubramaniya Swamy Temple lands at Vennaimalai in Karur, which are allegedly under encroachment, has emerged as a major election issue. They claim that elected representatives have failed to keep the promise of ensuring ownership to the respective residents.

“The affected people could not have a sound sleep due to the coercive action of HR&CE officials in sealing the properties. The residents have clear records to claim ownership. They are fed up with the way the elected representatives have handled the issue,” says V. Subramanian of Kalapalayam.

In a surprise candidate selection, the DMK chose to shift its strongman and incumbent MLA V. Senthilbalaji to Coimbatore South constituency. It has fielded R. Thyagarajan, a textile manufacturer, in Karur constituency. He is new to the electoral battle. He takes on former Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar of the AIADMK.

The TVK has fielded V.P. Mathiazhagan, Karur west district secretary, who is one among those mentioned as accused in the Karur stampede case registered by the Karur town police.

R. Karuppaiah is the candidate of NTK.

The constituency has been a bastion of the AIADMK. It has returned the party candidate seven times since 1971. The candidates fielded by it won in 1977, 1980, 1984,1991, 2006, 2011 and 2016. Its arch rival the DMK won four times. The party’s nominee won in 1971, 1989, 1996 and 2021. The Congress won in 2001.

From 2006, local power dynamics began shaping the profile of Karur’s constituency, with strong personalities influencing outcomes more than party ideologies. Mr. Senthilbalaji emerged as a pivotal figure. He won twice on the AIADMK ticket before being elected to the State Assembly on the DMK ticket in 2021. He defeated Mr. Vijayabhaskar with a margin of over 12,448 votes.

Anticipating a tough fight from Mr. Senthilbalaji, who is known for electioneering, Mr. Vijayabhaskar began his campaign about three months before being nominated by the AIADMK. However, the DMK sprang a surprise by fielding Mr. Thiyagarajan, apparently on the recommendation of Mr. Senthilbalaji. Though his supporters did not relish him being moved to Coimbatore, he wows to prove his mettle by electing Mr. Thiyagarajan to the State Assembly. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin campaigned for him a couple of days ago. Mr. Vijayabhakar hopes to regain the seat by leveraging the anti incumbency factor.

Published – April 03, 2026 10:25 pm IST