Going hammer and tongs at each other in the heart of the city are the arch rivals in the high-profile Madurai Central constituency — the ruling DMK and AIADMK. At the core is the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, a hub of religious tourism, which draws devotees from across the country. The area is also a trading hub. But despite its religious and cultural status, it remains a congested, poorly maintained area, with a maze of narrow streets and civic amenities stretched to the limits