COIMBATORE (NORTH)

Coimbatore North constituency experienced significant development initiatives between 2021 and 2026, alongside persistent civic challenges. Under AIADMK MLA Amman K. Arjunan, who won by a narrow margin of 4,001 votes in 2021, the constituency benefited from state-level initiatives including national highway improvements (NH 544, NH 948, NH 81, NH 181, NH 83), ring road projects, and Coimbatore's Smart City Mission implementation. Infrastructure development included grid substations, affordable housing schemes, expanded government hospitals and schools, and improvements to the Siruvani water supply scheme. However, these achievements were overshadowed by critical civic failures and controversies that dominated public discourse, particularly in the years leading to the 2026 elections. Major controversies plagued the constituency throughout this period. Former AIADMK minister S.P. Velumani alleged widespread corruption under the subsequent DMK state government, citing bribes of ₹3,000–₹5,000 demanded for municipal services. A 45-year-old land dispute was finally resolved in March 2026 when the state government ordered compensation at 2,300–3,300% of original rates for farmers whose land was acquired for Bharathiar University between 1979-1986. The Vellalore landfill crisis persisted, with only 29 of 65 promised waste processing centers operational by September 2024, despite NGT intervention. Most critically, water scarcity reached crisis levels by April 2026 when Siruvani Dam discharge halved to 35–37 MLD, leaving only two months' reserves, while groundwater levels dropped over two meters in a year. Infrastructure delays became a major electoral issue, with promised flyovers in Ganapathy and Saravanampatti remaining incomplete. The Eastern Bypass project triggered farmer protests in October 2025, with over 750 farmers staging hunger strikes against land acquisition. February 2026 saw widespread protests by trade unions demanding ₹26,000 minimum wage and farmers opposing central labor codes. The constituency witnessed significant political realignment, with several AIADMK members including O. Panneerselvam joining DMK between 2022-2026. As voters approach the 2026 elections, they face a triangular contest between DMK's Senthamil Selvan, BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan (shifting from Coimbatore South), and actor Vijay's TVK party candidate V. Sampathkumar. Voters should consider both the development initiatives undertaken and the persistent civic failures—particularly water scarcity, waste management, and infrastructure delays—that defined this period. The narrow 1.97% margin in 2021 and subsequent political realignments indicate a highly competitive constituency where accountability for unfulfilled promises, especially regarding water supply and delayed projects, will likely be decisive factors.