Baalu faces tough contest on home turf Thanjavur

With both DMK and AIADMK having shown the door to erstwhile allies--Congress and CPI(M), the national parties have fielded their candidates, which would certainly have impact on the two Dravidian parties.

With BJP jumping into the fray, a five-cornered contest has ensued, although the direct fight seems to be between Baalu and his AIADMK rival, K Parasuraman who is perceived to be a relatively lesser known face here.

The emotive Cauvery stand-off issue apart, Thanjavur faces challenges in agriculture, including lack of proper employment to farm labourers besides complaints that even UPA's flagship employment guarantee scheme, MNREGA, was not being implemented properly.

Riding on the 'son-of-the-soil' tag, Baalu successfully lobbied with the DMK high command to shift to his home turf from Sriperumbudur, much to the chargin of Palanimanickam, resulting in burning of the former's effigies.

However, the two former Union Ministers patched up later, and are putting up a united show, with both camps denying any rift. Baalu, presently Sriperumbudur MP, said those who had protested could be AIADMK men in the guise of DMK supporters.

Baalu's rivals including AIADMK and CPI(M) charge him with being instrumental in bringing the methane extraction project, which has earned the ire of local farmers over fears it would affect agriculture and has become a major poll plank in the delta districts.