By the time this column is posted on the SimpliCity website, voting for the bypoll for the prestigious R.K. Nagar constituency would have begun.
The bypoll, necessitated by the demise of former Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa on Dec 5 last year, should have been held in April this year. But the Election Commission (EC) was forced to defer it thanks to any number of allegations of bribing of voters by some of those in the fray. Then the EC froze the iconic “two leaves “symbol of the AIADMK following the split in the party into AIADMK (Amma) and AIADMK (Puratchi thalaivi).
Three of the major contenders who filed their nominations in April are still very much in the fray now also. They are E. Madhusoodhanan, former Minister and current Presidium chairman of the merged AIADMK, Marudhu Ganesh, DMK, and T.T.V. Dinakaran, sidelined Deputy General Secretary of the AIADMK (Amma) who is contesting as an Independent with “pressure cooker” symbol. Besides, there are more than 50 Independents as well.
The most important feature of this contest is that none of the contenders seems to be bothered about any of the problems or issues related to the constituency. Even the voting public seems to be not bothered about it because they know full well that irrespective of the result it would be the AIADMK that would continue to rule the State.
Though the result will have absolutely no impact on the political scenario, it is an irony that the constituency has become a pressure cooker. All the three major contenders are fighting for salvaging their pride and prestige. Mr. Madhusudhanan, despite his advanced age, is sweating it out in the rain and shine of Chennai, as he has got to prove that he is still a force to reckon with. He has been elected from the same constituency once. Besides, he hails from Chennai. He is not the Madhusudhanan who started as a humble volunteer of the AIADMK when MGR was alive.
When I used to cover the AIADMK in 1980s, he used to stand virtually at the office door of the party headquarters on the Lloyds Road at Royapettah. Then he was not even a second rung leader. It was Jayalalithaa who made him a Minister in her first Cabinet in 1991-96. Interestingly, nobody would be able to forget the stooped figure of Madhusudhanan on the TV channels beseeching with folded hands Jayalalithaa’s live-in-aide Sasikala to take over the party immediately after the chief’s demise. It was the same Madhusudhanan who rebelled against Sasikala and also ousted her from the post of general secretary. The EC has already accepted that there are 111 MLAs on the side of the AIADMK led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy (EPS) and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS). In addition, it has granted the “two leaves “ to the AIADMK which is a shot in the arm for Madhusudhanan.
Till the case before the Madras High Court regarding the disqualification of 18 MLAs in the Dinakaran camp by the Speaker P. Dhanapal is disposed of, Mr. Palaniswamy will have no problem. Besides, another case is pending before the Madras High Court regarding the failure of the Speaker to initiate any action against the 12 MLAs in the OPS camp for voting against the Chief Minister EPS when he moved a confidence motion.
The DMK, which has 89 members in its fold, has not even bothered to field a well-known leader for such a prestigious fight. Even with its allies, the strength of the DMK in the 234-member Assembly is only 98. It would require another 20 to reach the magic figure of absolute majority. It knows full well that it will not be able to get any succour from the BJP which is “very close” to AIADMK. Besides, the ruling party at the Centre seems to be protecting the AIADMK despite any number of allegations against it. Even the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the residence of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi has not brought about any thaw in their relationship. And DMK acting president M.K. Stalin has once again started singing the party’s regular refrain against the BJP.
Then the odd-man out in the current scenario is Mr. Dinakaran who has been forced to prove that he continues to be the “all powerful boss” which he was 7 years ago. Never would he have ever dreamt of such a vicious campaign against him by none other than Mr. OPS who was his protégé. It was Dinakaran who was responsible for the elevation of Mr.OPS to this level. When the handpicked EPS could ditch Sasikala and Dinakaran, any type of betrayal can be expected. But, we should always realize this is all quite common in politics.
As usual mudslinging has started. There are allegations galore of distribution of money to the voters. A petition filed in this regard by the DMK has already been dismissed by the Madras High Court which has ordered the EC to deal with such “irregularities” with an “iron hand”.
While the AIADMK has contended that the petition was to get the bypoll further postponed, the Election Commission has listed a number of steps it has taken to ensure “free and fair polling”.
The entire voting would be monitored not only by officials, police, CRPF, etc. but also by 225 CCTV cameras. In addition there would be 24x7 videographing also. Security, which is several times more than what is normally provided, has also been ordered.
But, Tamil Nadu politicians have learnt what money could do after the unprecedented success of the “Thirumangalam formula”, perfected by none other than Mr. M.K. Alagiri, the second son of Mr. Karunanidhi.
However ingenious the authorities are, the politicians do know how to circumvent it. Any number of novel methods are said to be adopted. They include coupons too. Gone are the days when the public had some sense of honesty and integrity. They know that people like C. Rajagopalachari (who threw the party men out of the Fort St. George when he was the Chief Minister), Omandur Ramasamy Reddiar (who asked his driver to return a jackfruit that was brought to his residence from a travellers’ bungalow), Kamaraj (who had just 110 rupees when he died), and Kakkan (who used to travel by bus), are all dead and gone. Now the public are so much impressed with the politician’s way of life that they all choose to wait for the money to reach them before voting. “After all it is not their own money that they are parting with” is the justification. Ordinary citizens have started believing that every politician has stashed it somewhere and there is absolutely nothing wrong to share it with him.
PS: The biggest tamasha in Indian polling is the expenditure limit that the Election Commission has fixed for the candidates. At present, it is Rs 70 lakhs for a parliamentary constituency and Rs 28 lakhs for an assembly constituency. Normal expenditure even by an honest politician would be several times more. But, we Indians will continue to believe that everything is hunky-dory in our election scenario as nobody has been identified or debarred for “excess expenditure” during the past six decades.
The bypoll, necessitated by the demise of former Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa on Dec 5 last year, should have been held in April this year. But the Election Commission (EC) was forced to defer it thanks to any number of allegations of bribing of voters by some of those in the fray. Then the EC froze the iconic “two leaves “symbol of the AIADMK following the split in the party into AIADMK (Amma) and AIADMK (Puratchi thalaivi).
Three of the major contenders who filed their nominations in April are still very much in the fray now also. They are E. Madhusoodhanan, former Minister and current Presidium chairman of the merged AIADMK, Marudhu Ganesh, DMK, and T.T.V. Dinakaran, sidelined Deputy General Secretary of the AIADMK (Amma) who is contesting as an Independent with “pressure cooker” symbol. Besides, there are more than 50 Independents as well.
The most important feature of this contest is that none of the contenders seems to be bothered about any of the problems or issues related to the constituency. Even the voting public seems to be not bothered about it because they know full well that irrespective of the result it would be the AIADMK that would continue to rule the State.
Though the result will have absolutely no impact on the political scenario, it is an irony that the constituency has become a pressure cooker. All the three major contenders are fighting for salvaging their pride and prestige. Mr. Madhusudhanan, despite his advanced age, is sweating it out in the rain and shine of Chennai, as he has got to prove that he is still a force to reckon with. He has been elected from the same constituency once. Besides, he hails from Chennai. He is not the Madhusudhanan who started as a humble volunteer of the AIADMK when MGR was alive.
When I used to cover the AIADMK in 1980s, he used to stand virtually at the office door of the party headquarters on the Lloyds Road at Royapettah. Then he was not even a second rung leader. It was Jayalalithaa who made him a Minister in her first Cabinet in 1991-96. Interestingly, nobody would be able to forget the stooped figure of Madhusudhanan on the TV channels beseeching with folded hands Jayalalithaa’s live-in-aide Sasikala to take over the party immediately after the chief’s demise. It was the same Madhusudhanan who rebelled against Sasikala and also ousted her from the post of general secretary. The EC has already accepted that there are 111 MLAs on the side of the AIADMK led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy (EPS) and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS). In addition, it has granted the “two leaves “ to the AIADMK which is a shot in the arm for Madhusudhanan.
Till the case before the Madras High Court regarding the disqualification of 18 MLAs in the Dinakaran camp by the Speaker P. Dhanapal is disposed of, Mr. Palaniswamy will have no problem. Besides, another case is pending before the Madras High Court regarding the failure of the Speaker to initiate any action against the 12 MLAs in the OPS camp for voting against the Chief Minister EPS when he moved a confidence motion.
The DMK, which has 89 members in its fold, has not even bothered to field a well-known leader for such a prestigious fight. Even with its allies, the strength of the DMK in the 234-member Assembly is only 98. It would require another 20 to reach the magic figure of absolute majority. It knows full well that it will not be able to get any succour from the BJP which is “very close” to AIADMK. Besides, the ruling party at the Centre seems to be protecting the AIADMK despite any number of allegations against it. Even the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the residence of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi has not brought about any thaw in their relationship. And DMK acting president M.K. Stalin has once again started singing the party’s regular refrain against the BJP.
Then the odd-man out in the current scenario is Mr. Dinakaran who has been forced to prove that he continues to be the “all powerful boss” which he was 7 years ago. Never would he have ever dreamt of such a vicious campaign against him by none other than Mr. OPS who was his protégé. It was Dinakaran who was responsible for the elevation of Mr.OPS to this level. When the handpicked EPS could ditch Sasikala and Dinakaran, any type of betrayal can be expected. But, we should always realize this is all quite common in politics.
As usual mudslinging has started. There are allegations galore of distribution of money to the voters. A petition filed in this regard by the DMK has already been dismissed by the Madras High Court which has ordered the EC to deal with such “irregularities” with an “iron hand”.
While the AIADMK has contended that the petition was to get the bypoll further postponed, the Election Commission has listed a number of steps it has taken to ensure “free and fair polling”.
The entire voting would be monitored not only by officials, police, CRPF, etc. but also by 225 CCTV cameras. In addition there would be 24x7 videographing also. Security, which is several times more than what is normally provided, has also been ordered.
But, Tamil Nadu politicians have learnt what money could do after the unprecedented success of the “Thirumangalam formula”, perfected by none other than Mr. M.K. Alagiri, the second son of Mr. Karunanidhi.
However ingenious the authorities are, the politicians do know how to circumvent it. Any number of novel methods are said to be adopted. They include coupons too. Gone are the days when the public had some sense of honesty and integrity. They know that people like C. Rajagopalachari (who threw the party men out of the Fort St. George when he was the Chief Minister), Omandur Ramasamy Reddiar (who asked his driver to return a jackfruit that was brought to his residence from a travellers’ bungalow), Kamaraj (who had just 110 rupees when he died), and Kakkan (who used to travel by bus), are all dead and gone. Now the public are so much impressed with the politician’s way of life that they all choose to wait for the money to reach them before voting. “After all it is not their own money that they are parting with” is the justification. Ordinary citizens have started believing that every politician has stashed it somewhere and there is absolutely nothing wrong to share it with him.
PS: The biggest tamasha in Indian polling is the expenditure limit that the Election Commission has fixed for the candidates. At present, it is Rs 70 lakhs for a parliamentary constituency and Rs 28 lakhs for an assembly constituency. Normal expenditure even by an honest politician would be several times more. But, we Indians will continue to believe that everything is hunky-dory in our election scenario as nobody has been identified or debarred for “excess expenditure” during the past six decades.