"Among the national leaders I like [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee. And of the Tamil leaders I [prefer former chief minister Muthuvel] Karunanidhi and [V Gopalaswamy, alias] Vaiko. Vajpayee is a tolerant leader and Karunanidhi is an able administrator. [But] Vaiko is a sincere and hardworking. He will beat [M K] Stalin [Karunanidhi's son] once Karunanidhi is out of the way.

"The biggest issue before the country today is unemployment [ and then they should think of] giving everybody clean drinking water.

Senthilkumari, 23, is Guruvelswamy's wife. As she speaks she keeps a restraining hand on both her two daughters, ages 2 and 3. She is a pharmacist and works in the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.

She has voted twice for Vaiko. "He is a 'cut and right' [English slang in Tamil Nadu for honest] person. He speaks for the people. Vaiko will support any fellow Tamilian even if he is an LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]." Senthilkumari agrees with her husband's contention that India is shining in education, science and technology. Employment, she thinks, is improving because of privatization. She feels even contract jobs are a good option as they offer a good pay.

Senthilkumari believes the main issues facing the nation today is the Indo-Pak tension. And in Tamil Nadu -- water. "Farmers are suffering because of water shortage. The linking of rivers should be done soon. If this is done then India will become unbeatable."

Guruvelswamy and Senthilkumari spoke to A Ganesh Nadar

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