In this leather hub of Tamil Nadu, the electoral battle is proving hard for ruling AIADMK due to several local issues, including those related to tanneries and drinking water, while opposition DMK too is bogged down by intra-party affairs in some constituencies.
Vaniyambadi and Ambur towns are home to some of the best tanneries and shoe making enterprises in the country and a sizeable chunk of people are Muslims and workers dependent on the leather industry.
These two towns and Ranipet are the prime constituencies where such industries employ a large number of people.
However, workers and employers have their own cup of woes. S Muthu Kumar, a tannery worker and resident of Vaniyambadi said, "Many employees have now become jobless or there is no work on all days of the week due to issues like pollution."
Kumar, who tans sheep skin, says there is not much scope for other types of jobs and is unhappy that government did not "do its bit" to address their problems like low wages.
Amanullah of Vaniyambadi Tanners Association said such a scenario was due to scaling down of production. "We have toned down production as there are some issues in ensuring 100% effluent treatment," he said.
"We are hopeful of scaling up production soon after we upgrade effluent treatment capabilities," he added.
Asked about these concerns , AIADMK functionaries cited legal and environmental issues and listed party chief Jayalalithaa's assurances like Amma Collateral Guarantee Fund at Rs 100 crore, Amma Venture Capital Fund and interest free loans under Amma Banking Card which can be availed by sections of people, including working classes.
In Vaniyambadi, AIADMK candidate Nilofer Kafeel, who is chairperson of Vaniyambadi Municipality, is quite popular.
DMK has allocated the seat to its ally, Indian Union Muslim League, whose nominee is Syed Farooq.
While both parties are active, AIADMK has considerable presence even in remote villages like Alangayam. Ruling party workers dismissed some property related charges cited by DMK against Nilofer, saying it is a family dispute and has nothing to do with public life.
Former Congress MLA C Gnanasekaran is contesting from Vaniyambadi as a candidate of TMC, the party led by former Union Minister G K Vasan.
In Ambur,where DMK has given the seat to ally Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (VR Nazeer Ahmed is MMK nominee), voices of dissent have emerged in the Karunanidhi-led party.
A party functionary who did not want to be named said that in all elections, the seat goes to an ally.
"This time we were hoping the seat would be held back for a DMK nominee. After the intervention of senior functionaries, there is a semblance of quiet and we have been firmly told to work hard for MMK's victory," he said.
Also, in Ambur, the fledgling Super Nation Party founded last year by locally influential Madar Khaleellur Rahman has raised expectations. A leather and tannery businessman, he is making his electoral debut here and may split votes. Such factors may work to the advantage of AIADMK's nominee R Balasubramani.
In Katpadi, there is is some consternation over party again nominating sitting seven-time DMK MLA Duraimurugan instead of opting for a new face. AIADMK nominee S R K Appu, who unsuccessfully contested against him in 2011, is again the ruling party nominee.
In Anaicut too, DMK faces trouble from within its ranks over choice of candidate A P Nandakumar. Soon after his name was announced last month, supporters of DMK Anaicut (West) union secretary M Babu picketed the party office and demanded that Nandakumar be replaced with Babu.
Seeking to pacify them, party chief Karunanidhi later urged that DMK's official candidate be accepted and the goal should be to emerge victorious.
AIADMK has nominated M Kalaiarasu, who won the seat in 2011 as a PMK candidate and joined AIADMK this year.
Though the fight appears to be straight one between Kalaiarasu and Nandakumar, factors like DMK's internal issues and PMK's support base come into play giving an edge to the ruling party.
In Ranipet, DMK Vellore East District Secretary R Gandhi is in the fray against AIADMK's C Elumalai. A local strongman, Gandhi had won the seat in 1996 and 2006. He lost to AIADMK's A Mohammed John, who had also been a Minister, in 2011 here. In 1991, 2001 and 2011, AIADMK had won the seat.
In Vellore, DMK nominee is P Karthikeyan, former Corporation Mayor. AIADMK has given the seat to its ally Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, a breakaway group of MMK and its candidate is Harun Rasheed.
While AIADMK is trying hard to blunt criticism over the Combined Cauvery Drinking Water Supply Scheme's implementation in Vellore, an advantage for its ally MJK's is that it is fighting on the popular two-leaves symbol of AIADMK and for DMK, its nominee Karthikeyan's popularity may help.
