The landslide victory of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
in the Tiruchendur and Vandavasi Assembly byelections did not come as a
surprise. In fact, Thiru Anitha Radhakrishnan’s victory with a huge margin was
predicted even by the general electorate, once it was announced that he was the
DMK candidate for Tiruchendur. In vandavasi also the victory of J.Kamalakannan
was a foregone conclusion.
The very heavy turnout of voters in both the
constituencies, Tiruchendur recording 78.05 percent and Vandavasi registering 84.08
percent respectively was the highest in the last three elections. For example, the
percentage of total votes polled in Tiruchendur in 2001 elections was 52.05
percent whereas it was 60.91 percent in 2006 and 78.05 percent now. Why is this
big turnout in this election from 52.05 percent to 78.05 percent.
An impartial analysis will lead us to the right
assessment. Despite the tall claims made by the ADMK, both the Communist
parties and other namesake parties that the fishermen community are an affected
lot and so will boycott the election on account of the Marine Fishermen Bill, the
fishermen families came to the polling booths in good numbers and exercised
their franchise.
It was reported in the media, quoting the election
officials that there was no intimidation of voters in Tiruchendur as the
District Collector as well as election observers were constantly touring the
constituency inspecting booths.
The Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta told media
people that video coverage of poll proceedings, the recording of images of all
voters and the facility to view them in the central server of the CEO office
helped to reduce or eliminate chances of bogus voting. He also said that two
officers in the rank of IG of police were directly monitoring the security
arrangements.
In this background and supported by the statements of
the District Collectors and the top police officials, it is evident that the
conduct of the election was fair and free from any misgivings. Additional
Director General of Police (Law and Order) K.Radhakrishnan could vouch this by
saying that polling was absolutely peaceful with not a single incidence of
violence. The Television visuals have shown the voters as patiently waiting
with genuine sincerity and free from pretence. What could be the reason then
for the heavy turn out of the voters? Shall we take it this way?
The voters are fully convinced that the Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam is the real people’s party and a original political party to rely upon,
that DMK is not a seasonal party like most other parties who sporadically meet
the people to exhibit their very existence. They are fully satisfied that the
DMK means business and is serious about its commitments. The DMK accomplishes
what it promises. The DMK schemes and programmes are not election oriented. It
is for these reasons there was heavy turnout at the polling stations. Here, we
cannot underestimate the DMK cadres’ meticulously planned methodical field work,
door-to-door campaign, meeting each one of the voters and the overall
propaganda of the leaders and the Ministers. For long the ability and sincerity
of its cadre had been a very huge asset for the DMK.
During this election tour in the Tiruchendur
constituency, the Deputy Chief Minister Thalapathi Stalin, listing out the
achievements of the DMK government since 2006 exhorted the electorate to cast
their votes in favour of Anitha Radhakrishnan as that alone would be the mark
of recognition of the feats of the State government. Thalapathi Stalin
campaigned in almost all the villages in the constituency.
Similarly, campaigning for the party candidate SPJ
Kamalakannan in the Vandavasi constituency Thiru Stalin said, “We are not the
party coming to meet the people only during election times. DMK made certain
promises during the run up to the last Assembly election and the party had
fulfilled them.”
The South Zone Organising Secretary Thiru M.K.Alagiri
did a lot of touring in the Tiruchendur constituency coordinating the efforts
and programmes of the Ministers and the cadres. In fact he was the moving
spirit behind the election campaign.
The DMK MP Poet Kanimozhi campaigned in Tiruchendur as
well as Vandavasi constituencies and asserted that the DMK had created a
revolutionary change in the realm of politics. Talking pride in the efforts of
Chief Minister, she said Kalaignar had been shouldering responsibilities and
working persistently to bring more and more development schemes. The status of
the weaker sections had improved.
By this twin victory, DMK’s honesty in the political
arena and sincerity in improving the ‘quality of life’ of the common man under
the stewardship of Kalaignar are admired and attested once again, after its
landside victories in the Lok Sabha elections this year and in eight other
previous by-elections. The DMK has again proved that performance, transparency
and honesty in administration nail the so-called ‘anti-incumbency factor or
‘anti-establishment wave’!
(27-12-09)
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