In Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai district, a woman and her daughter are locked in a straight contest for the urban local body elections.
Priya (32) filed her nomination papers from ward 18 in Vandavasi municipality of Tiruvannamalai district as an AIADMK candidate. Her husband, D. Arumugam (42), who runs a banner printing firm, was the AIADMK candidate in the 2011 elections and had lost the seat to a Congress candidate.
Since the 18th ward in the Vandavasi constituency was later reserved for women, Arumugam, who is currently with the Hindu Munnani, could not contest. This led to Priya, getting the chance to fight the polls instead of her husband.
A small difference of opinion with Priya led her mother, N. Kotteswari (58) to file the nomination papers as an independent candidate. Immediately after Kotteswari filed the nomination, the DMK extended support to her. Priya's husband, Arumugam had lost the seat by a margin of 2 votes to the Congress candidate in 2011 when the Urban local body polls were last held. The Congress, which is in alliance with the DMK alliance, is likely to also support Kotteswari, thereby giving her an edge over Priya, say, observers.
Arumugam while speaking to IANS said, "In the election, it is only the opponent. Relationships and friendships will not come in between if two close persons are fighting the polls. We will fight with all our ammunition and I hope that my mother-in-law also utilizes all the means available for her." He said that the fight will be interesting and the prime focus is to prevent family votes from being dropped into Kotteswari's kitty.
With the Urban local body polls to be held on February 19, the candidates are busy canvassing voters through door-to-door campaigning. The mother and daughter are both giving their best to win the seat.
