The result of the byelection in Pennagaram constituency in Dharmapuri district was on the much expected lines, with the ruling DMK winning with huge margin of 36,384 votes polling 77,669 votes as against 41,285 votes polled by the PMK while Jayalalitha’s ADMK coming a humiliating third with 26,787 votes forfeiting deposit and actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK, as usual, losing deposit. While thanking the voters for their support, DMK President and Chief Minister Kalaignar has ascribed the grand victory to the performance and achievements of the DMK government.
Definitely true! The DMK banked upon only the achievements of the State government as a whole and for the particular benefits rendered to the constituency and district. Right from the main campaigner for the Party, DMK Treasurer and Deputy Chief Minister Thiru M.K.Stalin to the last local functionaries and cadre who did door-to-door canvassing and ‘thinnai’ campaign (a raised platform at the entrance of a house for resting purpose), everyone concentrated on the accomplishments of the DMK government and sought the support of the people in approval and continuation of them. By sheer experience, people have seen for themselves and understood that ‘power of rule’ had not distanced DMK’s rank and file from the masses but in fact brought the ruling partymen and women more closer to them and trustworthy.
On the other hand, the whole bunch of opposition parties and leaders were seen by the people brazenly lying and duping them and hence most untrustworthy. The voters of Pennagaram have approved Kalaignar categorizing the ‘ADMK unfit to be the main opposition party’ in the State and have given him their categorical answer to his worry ‘where Jayalalitha’s irreverent and irrelevant attitude will take her in future’ by relegating her outfit to the third place taking the ‘credit’ for ‘confiscating’ the deposit of her candidate right now as a forerunner to its fate in the Assembly General elections due next year. Borrowing from Super Star Rajinikanth, it can be vouched that ‘even god cannot save Jayalalitha’ any more. All this ignominy to her despite the Election Commission facilitating the conduct of the byelection to suit her convenience by acting on her petitions and repeatedly postponing the dates.
Although Jayalalitha’s foolhardiness in lying and misleading is well known to the people of the State, her brazen attempt to bluff straight on the face of voters was, obviously, not taken kindly by them. Drinking water problem being primary for the people of Dharmapuri and neighbouring Krishnagiri districts, Jayalalitha, focussed on it and miscalculated that whatever lies she utter can be sold. But the thoughtless strategy boomeranged as the people of the constituency had for themselves witnessed the on-going round-the clock work at the site at nearby Madam village in the execution of the much awaited Hogenakkal Drinking Water and Fluorosis Mitigation Project. In his campaign Thiru Stalin, who visited Japan and got financial assistance for the project, challenged Jaya to prove her charge that works on the project had not yet begun. He offered to quit politics, but if she failed to prove, she should quit politics. But knowing that Jayalalitha has a thick skin, the voters of the constituency have started the process of driving her out of politics, leaving the completion of the chase out to the people of the state next year.
In his anxiety to prove more loyal than the king (rather queen) her ally Vaiko ‘thundered’ in his campaign that the byelection result would be “turning point” in state politics, perhaps to please her and somehow get his nomination for the ensuing Rajya Sabha election from TN Assembly. The “turning point” proved to be on the reverse for ADMK and for his prospect also. D. Pandian was unbecoming of the State Secretary of a Communist Party in accusing the DMK government of implementing Kalaignar Housing Scheme for hut-free Tamil Nadu from the fund provided by the Centre without any allocation by the State. It is with such rats tied in the hind legs that the frog (Jayalalitha) tries to jump out of the well (wilderness).
The most vicious and poisonous in this election arena was the campaign of PMK founder-leader Dr. S.Ramadoss. Leaving aside victory or defeat in an election, his desperate and berserk attempt, to go to any extent to re-establish some credibility in Tamil Nadu politics following a total rout in the LS polls last year, is not only suicidal for him but fraught with threat to social peace, amity and communal harmony in the state. For, Ramadoss shamelessly threw out the mask of political party, necessitated by the stipulation of the Election Commission for recognition, and returned to pre-1989 avtar of a caste outfit. In this byelection campaign, Ramadoss exclusively banked upon caste-appeal to the point of not even formally seeking the support of other community voters in their door-to-door canvassing. Ramadoss and his son Anbumani Ramadoss along with their 18 MLAs virtually camped in the constituency since December last year, visited even remote villages, convened and addressed meetings of local people belonging to the particular caste. As polling day neared, they conspired to scare away Dalit voters from going to the polling stations that the DMK took the heinous design to the notice of the CEC. Their frantic attempt to polarise the society on caste-lines for immediate benefit, brings back the unpleasant memory of riots, clashes between two sections, killings and setting fire to residential huts of the poor etc., two decades back. People of both sections were tormented for years in criminal cases and court proceedings.
But responsible and respected leaders of his community alleged that Ramadoss was not honest and sincere either to the community and accused him of studying MBBS and getting a job in government under Scheduled Caste quota and when this got exposed during the rule of MGR, he sought asylum with a Minister belonging to the community and resigned the post to get a honourable exit and escape punishment. This allegation was never denied by the PMK founder till date. By experience Dalits did not believe his promise that he would make a Dalit CM if PMK was elected to power.
In the heat of campaign Ramadoss had no qualms in contacting Kalaignar over phone and chatting pleasingly. In his campaign Thiru Stalin said a party was prepared to withdraw from the race, if ‘one’ was given a Rajya Sabha seat and become a Union Minister without facing election. It is only for the gullible people of the community to wake up!
However, Ramadoss’ caste appeal had absolutely no impact on the DMK’s support base, because it has not only retained but increased its vote share compared to result of 2006 Assembly elections, when the PMK and the communist parties were in the DMK-led alliance. Anbumani Ramadoss claimed on March 20 that the activists and members of the ADMK and DMDK had assured their ‘indirect’ support to the PMK and the results established his claims – the ADMK losing half of its vote secured in 2006 and the DMDK down by 15,000 votes compared to last year LS poll. Jayalalitha may first set her house in order before taking upon other parties.
The actor-politician has claimed that his is a party of youth and its future would be bright. 18 years of age being the eligibility for voting, possibly he means babies and to-be-borns! Anyway he provided some comic relief to the voters in the heat of campaign, by promising to provide drinking water to the people of the constituency by lorries if his candidate was elected!
The 12th consecutive victory of the DMK in Pennagaram since 2006, coming after the DMK-alliance’s impressive triumph in 10 previous byelections and Lok Sabha elections in 2009, only shows the continuing confidence and trust of the people of Tamil Nadu in the Party and its performance in the State government!
(04-04-10)
Definitely true! The DMK banked upon only the achievements of the State government as a whole and for the particular benefits rendered to the constituency and district. Right from the main campaigner for the Party, DMK Treasurer and Deputy Chief Minister Thiru M.K.Stalin to the last local functionaries and cadre who did door-to-door canvassing and ‘thinnai’ campaign (a raised platform at the entrance of a house for resting purpose), everyone concentrated on the accomplishments of the DMK government and sought the support of the people in approval and continuation of them. By sheer experience, people have seen for themselves and understood that ‘power of rule’ had not distanced DMK’s rank and file from the masses but in fact brought the ruling partymen and women more closer to them and trustworthy.
On the other hand, the whole bunch of opposition parties and leaders were seen by the people brazenly lying and duping them and hence most untrustworthy. The voters of Pennagaram have approved Kalaignar categorizing the ‘ADMK unfit to be the main opposition party’ in the State and have given him their categorical answer to his worry ‘where Jayalalitha’s irreverent and irrelevant attitude will take her in future’ by relegating her outfit to the third place taking the ‘credit’ for ‘confiscating’ the deposit of her candidate right now as a forerunner to its fate in the Assembly General elections due next year. Borrowing from Super Star Rajinikanth, it can be vouched that ‘even god cannot save Jayalalitha’ any more. All this ignominy to her despite the Election Commission facilitating the conduct of the byelection to suit her convenience by acting on her petitions and repeatedly postponing the dates.
Although Jayalalitha’s foolhardiness in lying and misleading is well known to the people of the State, her brazen attempt to bluff straight on the face of voters was, obviously, not taken kindly by them. Drinking water problem being primary for the people of Dharmapuri and neighbouring Krishnagiri districts, Jayalalitha, focussed on it and miscalculated that whatever lies she utter can be sold. But the thoughtless strategy boomeranged as the people of the constituency had for themselves witnessed the on-going round-the clock work at the site at nearby Madam village in the execution of the much awaited Hogenakkal Drinking Water and Fluorosis Mitigation Project. In his campaign Thiru Stalin, who visited Japan and got financial assistance for the project, challenged Jaya to prove her charge that works on the project had not yet begun. He offered to quit politics, but if she failed to prove, she should quit politics. But knowing that Jayalalitha has a thick skin, the voters of the constituency have started the process of driving her out of politics, leaving the completion of the chase out to the people of the state next year.
In his anxiety to prove more loyal than the king (rather queen) her ally Vaiko ‘thundered’ in his campaign that the byelection result would be “turning point” in state politics, perhaps to please her and somehow get his nomination for the ensuing Rajya Sabha election from TN Assembly. The “turning point” proved to be on the reverse for ADMK and for his prospect also. D. Pandian was unbecoming of the State Secretary of a Communist Party in accusing the DMK government of implementing Kalaignar Housing Scheme for hut-free Tamil Nadu from the fund provided by the Centre without any allocation by the State. It is with such rats tied in the hind legs that the frog (Jayalalitha) tries to jump out of the well (wilderness).
The most vicious and poisonous in this election arena was the campaign of PMK founder-leader Dr. S.Ramadoss. Leaving aside victory or defeat in an election, his desperate and berserk attempt, to go to any extent to re-establish some credibility in Tamil Nadu politics following a total rout in the LS polls last year, is not only suicidal for him but fraught with threat to social peace, amity and communal harmony in the state. For, Ramadoss shamelessly threw out the mask of political party, necessitated by the stipulation of the Election Commission for recognition, and returned to pre-1989 avtar of a caste outfit. In this byelection campaign, Ramadoss exclusively banked upon caste-appeal to the point of not even formally seeking the support of other community voters in their door-to-door canvassing. Ramadoss and his son Anbumani Ramadoss along with their 18 MLAs virtually camped in the constituency since December last year, visited even remote villages, convened and addressed meetings of local people belonging to the particular caste. As polling day neared, they conspired to scare away Dalit voters from going to the polling stations that the DMK took the heinous design to the notice of the CEC. Their frantic attempt to polarise the society on caste-lines for immediate benefit, brings back the unpleasant memory of riots, clashes between two sections, killings and setting fire to residential huts of the poor etc., two decades back. People of both sections were tormented for years in criminal cases and court proceedings.
But responsible and respected leaders of his community alleged that Ramadoss was not honest and sincere either to the community and accused him of studying MBBS and getting a job in government under Scheduled Caste quota and when this got exposed during the rule of MGR, he sought asylum with a Minister belonging to the community and resigned the post to get a honourable exit and escape punishment. This allegation was never denied by the PMK founder till date. By experience Dalits did not believe his promise that he would make a Dalit CM if PMK was elected to power.
In the heat of campaign Ramadoss had no qualms in contacting Kalaignar over phone and chatting pleasingly. In his campaign Thiru Stalin said a party was prepared to withdraw from the race, if ‘one’ was given a Rajya Sabha seat and become a Union Minister without facing election. It is only for the gullible people of the community to wake up!
However, Ramadoss’ caste appeal had absolutely no impact on the DMK’s support base, because it has not only retained but increased its vote share compared to result of 2006 Assembly elections, when the PMK and the communist parties were in the DMK-led alliance. Anbumani Ramadoss claimed on March 20 that the activists and members of the ADMK and DMDK had assured their ‘indirect’ support to the PMK and the results established his claims – the ADMK losing half of its vote secured in 2006 and the DMDK down by 15,000 votes compared to last year LS poll. Jayalalitha may first set her house in order before taking upon other parties.
The actor-politician has claimed that his is a party of youth and its future would be bright. 18 years of age being the eligibility for voting, possibly he means babies and to-be-borns! Anyway he provided some comic relief to the voters in the heat of campaign, by promising to provide drinking water to the people of the constituency by lorries if his candidate was elected!
The 12th consecutive victory of the DMK in Pennagaram since 2006, coming after the DMK-alliance’s impressive triumph in 10 previous byelections and Lok Sabha elections in 2009, only shows the continuing confidence and trust of the people of Tamil Nadu in the Party and its performance in the State government!
(04-04-10)
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