Friday, May 05, 2006

Time for a Change?? Really ??

Its election time in my state and wherever you go, the mood is the same. Debates within family members as to who will come to power, my grandmom asking me why the DMK is not contesting the Saidapet seat, my driver telling me that DMK is going to come back to power, and I retorting saying that Amma will make it again!!

However, over the past three months or so, there are a couple of other parties that have joined the fray, most notable among them being the Lok Paritran about whom enough has been said an written!! Their campaign managers have been telling us to vote for them because they promise change! And eradication from corruption. They don't promise insane stuff like color TV's and rice for Rs.2. Which is great. Its a refreshing chnage from the verbal wars that the two Dravidian parties have resorted to! Karunanidhi on the one hand says Jayalalitha claims to be working 20 hours a day and appeals to the voters to give her some rest from the 8th of May, not for her benefit, but for the benefit of the party. Jaya on the other hand blames the centre (of which the DMK is a part) for not having assisted the government enough during the tsunami and the rains last year.

There have been quite a few mails floating in my class' yahoo group about the elections, TN politics, Lok paritran, some independents, and even Vijaykanth :) I hear that 'CAPTAIN' is contesting all 234 assembly seats!! Wonder how this is going to affect the vote share of the main parties because he is sure to eat into the vote base of both the DMK and the ADMK, but may not win that many seats! Some students of my class have been involved in the campaign for Lok Paritran and have been using the group as a means to campaign. So, I asked them, why should one vote for the Lok Paritran. The answers I got were various, ranging from the young and enthusiastic party, to the educated people, to the IIT brand. But, really, is it fair that one should gather votes based on a 'brand' like IIT?? I don't think so simply because an IIT + NYU education can prepare you for organisational skills and all that, but you need hands-on experience in grassroot level Indian politics to be able to compete. India is a very diverse nation and different people (sometimes members of the same family) voting for different candidates for a variety of reasons!

Whether both LP and Vijayakanth can eat into the vote base of the dravidian parties, we'll find out, come May 11th!!

As of now, after saturday, all the political parties will have their fates decided by the voters of this state! All I can say is that its going to be a closely fought election and that "Yeh Public Hai, Yeh sab Jaanti Hai".. Roughly translated, it means, "Its the public and knows everything"

Cheers folks

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah.Good analysis!
I would go in for Amma's rule too.Though not exemplary,it's been good enough atleast the last two years .

S said...

i guess till now i've sorta bin supporting the LP...but i saw santhanagopal vasudevan campaigning the other day...and he just does not GET the pulse of the people here!!

IMO, karunanidhi is a blind bat who can't walk by himself. he should stick to speaking and writing. :P i'm biased, i know!

considering the highlights of amma's previous reign i.e. veerapan's capture and death, the efficient tsunami and rain relief, she's been doing a lot for the state. she deserves to be back.

and since i can't vote, i only hope that does happen!! :)

Anonymous said...

Sheesh.You actually made sense there.This is scary.

varsha said...

what are all u ppl talkin abt (vara and s)? You can't vote anyway!! Ellam chinna pasanga :D
And s...post your own opinion on LP and kalaigner.

Anonymous said...

Hey, well said! But your analysis seems incomplete. Is it that if you graduate out of a big brand like IIT , you always cant understand grass root politics ?? I differ there... well, considering starting my own party btw :)(guess who, clue- jst been to the great wall!)

S said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
S said...

@me - was jus agreeing with ya!! :D and i saw santhanagopal campaigning after u told me too!! :)

and opinion on karunanidhi is MINE!! :O

Anonymous said...

For even LP to salvage their deposit seems like a tall order. People who attend their meetings believe LP is only romanticising - no plan, no action, nothing.

Abhi! said...

varalaxmi :
Amma is pretty good!! there have been ups and downs i agree !! would pick her to MK any day !

S:
I feel sorry for LP and hope they receive their deposits !! amen !

Abhi! said...

hamsini :

:-)

me:

thanks for saying something not relating to the post :)

Abhi! said...

anon:

I know who you are :) yes, last bit written in a hurry ! will edit soon !

Abhi! said...

vijay :

True man ! may 11 we wil know

Anonymous said...

Well I dont think AMMA will come bak to power...
Its gonna be KALAIGNAR lead DMK that will come to power and iz gonna be some new plans introduced....
Say lk the VAT which isn't applicable in TN and then I hope the CAS is removed from CHENNAI....
And KALAIGNAR's words durin campaign was as follows.....
"Even if I come to power, I shall give 15,000.Rs to poor family marraiges as I proposed to do and you(AMMA) can also give the 4gms for the THALI for the same families..We can share the stage for the occasion..It's the people's welfare we're workig towards..And iz only in TN that there's politics like this where the two opposition leaders fear to speak to each other..."
So KALAIGNAR is pavin way for some MUTUAL POLITIX....
iz gonna be a down and out DMK rule this time and the center-state relatiionship will also be strengthened by this.....

Anonymous said...

all of you... go.. go vote for me.. GO!! i promise to start a circus and make amma the star attraction.. yaana kutti and black cats.. irresistable... and commentary in MK's (maalai kannu) voice... total success... and promises will be kept.. hail me!

Anonymous said...

oh ya my chinnam is TR's face.. thank you and see you..