Mohammad Abdul Kadar, a shopkeeper, tells us, "This is an educated district. The most educated candidate will win. Helen Davidson will win easily. Her knowledge of English is very good. She speaks like Sonia Gandhi."

"Did you see Sonia Gandhi on TV yesterday?" he continues. "She addressed a meeting in Chennai. She spoke in short clear sentences. Everyone could understand. The translator was not good. He was talking too much. How can you have such long translations of such short sentences?"

Kanyakumari is a tourist destination. The roads are good; water and electricity are not a problem. Locals say a nascent rubber industry has not been encouraged though the district administration bought land for a rubber park in Thovalai.

What Kanyakumari clearly needs is more industries to employ its highly literate workforce. With more industries and more work the locals may stop thinking of themselves as Hindus, Christians and Nadars.