Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time: The Art Of Living Opposition circles the DMK for a kill, but it hopes to faze it out PUSHPA IYENGAR

Friday, March 4, 2011

The Art Of Living Opposition circles the DMK for a kill, but it hopes to faze it out PUSHPA IYENGAR

PTI

Mr Albatross Raja with Karunanidhi, who has stood by him

POLITICS: TAMIL NADU

The Art Of Living

Opposition circles the DMK for a kill, but it hopes to faze it out

PUSHPA IYENGAR

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?270628

Last month, AIADMK cadres in Salem distributed play money in notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, bearing rubber-stamped text saying it was 2G scam money. The stunt was meant as a jibe at chief minister M. Karunanidhi's son, M.K. Azhagiri, who allegedly bribed voters during the recent byelections in the state. But the way the obviously fake notes were lapped up by some appears to symbolise what many people think in Tamil Nadu—there's no sense in being moralistic about politicians making money, and it's normal to expect money for votes. But public thinking also goes beyond that: they ask whether, in addition to pocketing money, politicians also improve the life of the aam aadmi or provide better infrastructure. If the answer is yes, the DMK can expect the widespread disgust at its having shielded A. Raja over the spectrum scam to be papered over. "When you don't get something, people get agitated. For instance, if a neighbour has a colour TV and you don't, you naturally get agitated," says S. Ve Shekher, an AIADMK MLA who recently joined the Congress. "But 2G does not affect the voter directly."

Nevertheless, the DMK is understandably cagey. The rumour is that even deputy CM M.K. Stalin plans to contest from "safe" Palayamkottai, a rural constituency in Tirunelveli district, instead of the Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai. Stalin and Azhagiri had reportedly prevailed upon Karunanidhi to dump Raja soon after the CBI raids last year. But with the patriarch vetoing it, the official party line is that Raja should not be sacrificed because, in that case, the DMK will also appear to be guilty.

Sure, the 2G scam has given a second wind to the AIADMK. The DMK's earlier swagger, based on its belief in guaranteed returns from its populist schemes, is a bit muted. But corruption does not mark out the DMK alone. For, the counter-question is always: how did Jayalalitha build a castle in Kodanadu? Despite the 2G scam having energised the AIADMK chief, people recall that large-scale corruption was first unleashed in this state when she came to power 20 years ago.

Past glory? An AIADMK rally from its heyday. The party is now seeing a chance. (Photograph by Quickpix)

But disenchantment with the DMK has surely reached a high among urban voters. Mayilvagahanan, a Tiruchi-based analyst, points out: "The DMK has lost the goodwill of the people after five years despite all the sops." It's an assessment cinestar Vijayakanth of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), who refers to Karunanidhi as an "evil force", seems to agree with. He looks close to going with the AIADMK, though he has not yet committed to it yet. The poll arithmetic will really hinge on which way the small parties, with their bloc votes, decide to hitch their wagons—the PMK has already flipped back to the DMK camp. But the DMDK could be the key.


	The DMK had counted on its populist schemes doing the trick, but the sheer size of the 2G scam has put it in a fix.

Because of its weaker position, the DMK has had to perforce adopt a more pliable attitude to seat-sharing negotiations. Conversely, the Congress, despite its meagre voteshare of 8.38 per cent in the 2006 assembly polls, has been emboldened to up its ante. It is demanding 80 seats in a house of 234. This time, it also wants to join the government should the alliance win. But the DMK, even with its chips down, says the demands are unrealistic. In fact, according to DMK sources, a more realistic cutoff for the Congress would 65 seats (up from 48 in the last elections)—it's also reluctant to share power with its ally in New Delhi. The PMK (5.65 per cent voteshare) has been offered 31 seats, which leaves only about 130 seats for the DMK, once fringe allies too are accommodated. The natural course, then, would be to chip away at the Congress share.

But the DMK, also fighting the incumbency factor, has to have an alliance in place to work out its voteshare arithmetic if it wants to return to power. Its voteshare in 2006 was 26.46 per cent—substantially lower than the AIADMK's 32.64 per cent. But the DMK won 96 seats, while Jayalalitha managed only 61. Interestingly, there is some talk that Dalits, who form an 18 per cent votebank, feel Raja is being targeted because he is a Dalit. In an astute move, Karunanidhi has stitched up an alliance with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a Dalit party that went with the AIADMK in 2006.

The AIADMK, which has the Left and Vaiko's MDMK on board, will really fancy its chances if Vijayakanth's DMDK decides to come with it. Should Jayalalitha succeed in doing that, many believe she will be on a winning wicket. For, Vijayakanth's popularity is growing by the day and his voteshare—estimated now to be 10 per cent—could also register an upswing if he joins an alliance. In 2006, his party went on its own and the 8.6 per cent votes it polled only cut into Jayalalitha's votes. Vijayakanth is very popular with the youth and women and draws huge crowds.

And what of the 2G scam? Says M.G. Devasahayam, a retired ias officer, who is with the Forum for Electoral Integrity, which is touring extensively across the state: "People in villages are perplexed at the Rs 1.76 lakh crore scam. The conflicting stories in the media over actual and presumptive loss has caused a disconnect in villages. The question we frequently encounter from incredulous people is: 'How can such a huge amount be swindled?' They obviously feel such a huge sum could not be scammed. Urban revulsion with the 2G scam is palpable, but will all folks walk the talk when it's poll time?"


	Vijayakanth could hold the key. His DMDK's voteshare could grow immensely once it ties up with a major party.

The implication: if the DMK was not already unpopular thanks to spiralling prices and family rule, 2G would have remained an urban talking point. According to feedback, some villagers think the scam money is being used to fund the DMK's 'social welfare' schemes, including providing free colour TV sets and gas stoves. Besides, rural voters are being told by DMK cadre that, thanks to Raja, they are paying 30 paise per call and not Rs 5.

But urban voters are not taken in. Rajeshwari Venkatramani, a former banker, says, "Even villagers know about Raja and that the Karunanidhi clan were also beneficiaries of the scam money. Combine that with the disquiet about the clan spreading its tentacles everywhere, including in politics and films, and that will show up at the hustings."

The heat is kept up with Jaya TV and AIADMK-friendly media running articles and regular discussions with guests trying to break down in simple terms what the 2G scam is all about. Novel campaigns focusing on the scam and galloping prices are being thought up. Recently, the Kumbakonam unit conducted a kolam contest on the scam for women's self-help groups; in the Ramanathapuram district, there was an essay contest. The scam is being presented in layman's terms through streetcorner meetings and a campaign via Bluetooth (which has visuals of Raja's arrest). "The strategy is to tell the voter not only about 2G but how one family benefited from the swindle," says AIADMK's state student wing secretary R.B. Udaykumar.

So will it be a vote against the DMK but not for the AIADMK? The 2G scam will indeed play a role in urban and rural areas in consonance with other factors: price rise, anti-incumbency, local factors, and most of all, alliance arithmetic.

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COMMENTS

MAR 03, 2011 08:07 PM 15	No sacm is less than Thousands of Crores in UPA Rule .Here is another loss to the Nation done by AAM Admi key liye Sarkar: 43-plane Airbus deal: IA could have saved $1 bn, says CAG The government's auditor, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), has taken to task the erstwhile state-owned domestic carrier, Indian Airlines, for allegedly violating decisions of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) that negotiated the purchase of 43 aircraft with French aircraft manufacturer Airbus in 2005, causing an "avoidable expenditure and (or) loss" of Rs. 4,668.07 crore. Praful Patel was the civil aviation minister then" http://www.indianexpress.com/news/43plane-airbus-deal-ia-could-have-saved-1-bn-says-cag/757018/ No Loot is Less than Billions in UPA Rule A K GHAI MUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK \| LIKE (2) \| DISLIKE (0) \| REPORT ABUSE
MAR 03, 2011 08:02 PM 14	There are other Politicians of UPA specially who know The Art of Living : "The Big Fat Congress Marriage There were two pandals — one for the aam aadmi and the other for VIPs. Nearly 30,000 people went in and out of the two pandals as the feast began. There were nearly 100 dishes --A 33 Rs Crore Helicopter Bell 212 as Dowry-- Those who made it to the wedding included Kamal Nath, Ram Vilas Paswan, D P Yadav and Girija Vyas--" And who else brought the Tanwars into Congress none other than Digvija Singh "Asked about the ostentatious wedding of the son of a party leader, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president J P Agarwal said: "I am not aware about the wedding expenses. We were not the ones who brought him to the Congress fold. He was initiated into the party by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh." http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-big-fat-congress-wedding/756967/2 Total cost of the Marriage is 300 Crores WHo says Congressis don't know the Art of LIVING ?? A K GHAI MUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK \| LIKE (2) \| DISLIKE (0) \| REPORT ABUSE
MAR 03, 2011 06:54 PM 13	The political analysts are unable to dicern the happenings in tamil nadu because of which they are failing to predict correctly the outcome of the coming polls.the 2011 elections will be won by DMK-PMK-CONGRESS alliance due to confluence of many factors. 1.the AIADMK alliance including PMK had a vote share of 37.27 while DMK led alliance had a vote share of 42.54.now with PMK out of AIADMK alliance jayalalitha has a vote share of 32.89 while DMK led alliance vote share will increse to 47.10 with entry of PMK 2.the addition of DMDK to jayalalitha alliance wil be no game changer as the DMDK vote share of 10.1 % is evenly spread and it got more c ongress votes than AIADMKs in 2009. so AIADMK+DMDK+MDMK+LEFT=43.1% DMK+CONGRESS+PMK+IUML=47.10 3.the freebies and unprecedented welfare schemes doled out by DMK have reached 70% of rural population in northern and eastern districts which will help DMK 4.DMK spent on an average of 9 crores per assembly segment in 2009 parliamentary polls while AIADMK spent 3.8 crores per assembly segment buying huge number of voters especially in rural areas 5.the minority vote bank of muslims and christians is solidly with DMK and congress 6.as OUTLOOK rightly said the rural masses think the massive 2-G scam is all but a creation of opposition and ANTI-DMK media 7lastly the government servants mainly the teachers are ranged against AIADMK for unjustly dismissing them in 2004 and they will show their ire during counting. CHINMAY HYDERABAD, INDIA PERMALINK \| LIKE (1) \| DISLIKE (1) \| REPORT ABUSE
MAR 02, 2011 07:04 PM 12	Sonia's choice another Cabinet Minsister defrauding the Aaam Admi of his rights and minting money caught . "Union Minister Bansal shields Chandigarh 'shop allotment' mafia, says official probe Booth mafia has the protection of Pawan Kumar Bansal, local MP and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Science and Technology, Government of India. The financial dimension of the fraud committed by the booth-mafia runs into crores...which include the money paid to the officers/ officials of the Estate Office, Chandigarh Police, funds given to the politicians and money generated to illegal sale/subletting of booths," says the report prepared by UT Additional Deputy Commissioner P S Shergill. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/union-minister-bansal-shields-chandigarh-shop-all.../756613/ Koi sherief bhi hien Mantri UPA ka ?? A K GHAI MUMBAI, INDIA PERMALINK \| LIKE (1) \| DISLIKE (0) \| REPORT ABUSE
MAR 02, 2011 05:17 PM 11	When all parties are corrupt and they have cornered all the money, where is the value for our votes? No point voting. It is a farce. People should be prepared to throw out the corrupt , only then these politicians will behave otherwise day is not far off when this country also follows EGYPT and LIBYA. People are fed up of this corruption.New Highs are being acheived in corruption everyday. Many people are starving and commitiing suicides in our country. They have no hope. But this does not bother the leaders. For them money cornered means elections one. NK MUMBAI, BOTSWANA PERMALINK \| LIKE (0) \| DISLIKE (0) \| REPORT ABUSE