Importance of coimbatore as a key LS seat..
Now, it compares well with cities such as Chennai and Bangalore in these sectors because of reputed engineering, medical, arts and science colleges and also multi-speciality hospitals.Problems in power supply to the industry and agriculture and the need for better and modern infrastructure in a Tier-II city are some of the major issues this time. Central Government support to industries to overcome various problems has been a persistent demand.
Delimitation has taken away a key revenue earning zone – Tirupur - from the Coimbatore revenue district.It had only two Parliamentary constituencies: Coimbatore and Pollachi. A world famous knitwear manufacturing zone, Tirupur not only became a separate district this year, but was also made a separated Lok Sabha seat.
The Assembly segments too have changed since the last elections (Lok Sabha in 2004 and Assembly in 2006). During those elections, following were the Assembly segments: Singanallur, Coimbatore West, Coimbatore East, Perur, Palladam and Tirupur.
After de-limitation, the segments are: Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South, Kavundampalayam, Singanallur, Sulur and Palladam.Though a part of the newly-formed Tirupur District, Palladam remains with the Coimbatore Lok Sabha Constituency. Its case is akin to that of Mettupalayam, which is part of Coimbatore District but under the Nilgiris Parliamentary constituency.
Coimbatore city is cosmopolitan in its constitution. Apart from the Gounders who hail from this region and the Naidus who played a major role in shaping Coimbatore’s industrial growth as an industrial area, a large number of Gujaratis, Rajasthanis, Sikhs and Keralites have made the city their home.
As for the electoral battle the Lok Sabha seat (including Tirupur) has been won five times by the Congress, four times by the Communist Party of India (CPI), twice by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and once by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).The CPI’s win in 1957 was before the split in the party.
The battle in coimbatore is between Mr.Natrajan of CPM and Mr.Prabhu of congress.
