In Thondamuthur, the political strength of AIADMK’s S P Velumani lies in his visible presence in everyday social and religious life. People say that if there is a wedding or a temple event in the constituency, you can bet Velumani would be there. His participation is not just ceremonial – he is known to contribute financially as well to temple events and to families at their weddings. He also makes it a point to visit bereaved families in his constituency and offer condolences. This style of politics, combining social bonding and financial assistance, has helped him build a personal bond with voters across the constituency, which boasts relatively good roads, drinking water facilities, streetlights, and other civic amenities. In short, Velumani’s reputation as a dependable local strongman makes him a formidable opponent. In the 2021 assembly election, the DMK made a concerted effort to unseat him by fielding Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, who is a well-known figure in western Tamil Nadu. The DMK had deployed senior leaders specifically to focus on Thondamuthur. Their concerted strategy forced Velumani to concentrate solely on his constituency, limiting his ability to campaign in other districts, despite his broader responsibilities across 21 constituencies in Coimbatore, Tirupur, and the Nilgiris. AIADMK colleagues recall that he appeared visibly strained at that time and could not campaign with his usual intensity. However, this time, the political environment seems more favourable for him, according to his supporters. Analysts say that the DMK has not deployed the same level of organisational strength against Velumani this time. N R Karthikeyan, the DMK’s candidate for Thondamuthur, is not well-known in the constituency. This could enhance Velumani’s chances of retaining his seat by a comfortable margin. The DMK is relying on welfare messaging, alliance strategies, and the popularity of V Senthilbalaji in nearby Coimbatore South. However, Velumani has a strong booth-level network and local support that may work in his favour. Velumani’s appeal spans the urban, semi-urban, and rural segments of the constituency. His campaign is centred around a decade-long record of effective local governance, including the creation of the Thondamuthur taluk, the expansion of rural road network, and the establishment of govt colleges. This positions him as a “son of the soil” who delivers practical benefits to the community. However, the contest is complicated by the entry of K P Sathish Raju of the TVK, who is the son of former AIADMK MLA K P Raju. Raju previously supported Velumani’s rise to prominence. Sathish is expected to attract sections of the traditional gounder and dalit support base of the AIADMK. Meanwhile, DMK MP R Girirajan has moved Madras high court seeking a direction to the Enforcement Directorate to register a report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act based on pending cases against Velumani. According to Girirajan, there are four FIRs registered by DVAC against Velumani in connection with alleged irregularities during his tenure as municipal administration minister. This includes alleged corruption in floating tenders of Chennai and Coimbatore corporations. The plea is pending before the first bench of HC headed by Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari.
