The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Parties scenting early elections

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 13, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Parties scenting early elections

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI, FEB. 12. Political parties in the State seem to be scenting elections before long. The general councils of the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) met here on Friday. The general council of the ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) meets next Tuesday to take stock of the situation and move to the "election mode" as it were.

Elections are due in Tamil Nadu only in May 2006. But the parties, especially those in the Opposition, appear convinced that the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, will oblige them with an early poll — "perhaps in September," as an Opposition legislator puts it. Ruling party sources argue, "Where is the need and what is the fun in holding it just six or eight months ahead of schedule? What do we gain by it?"

The DMK had a district secretaries meeting, followed by the general council this week.

According to a senior party functionary "Though we did not meet just for the elections, there were discussions on the whole gamut of issues — the Central and State Governments, the maladministration here, the post-tsunami situation, internal problems of the DMK and how to galvanise the party."

The result: The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, announced that 1,000 public meetings would be held within a week in March.

Karunanidhi's warning

More important, the party chief dwelt on the so-called "indiscipline" or "groupism" in the DMK. He told them there were two ways of dealing with this issue and he could adopt either — appeal to the cadres and functionaries to function like "gardeners" utilising the "manure" to nurture the party, or to use the "sword disciplinary action" to solve the problem. And he cautioned them that he was capable of using both methods.

Dissensions or groupism in a political party may be a "given thing" today, in such a competitive environment and the DMK is not new to it. And in a democratic set up, party sources argue that it may be "unwise" to ignore the rivalries or brush them under the carpet. The leadership must be able to harness the energies of all groups and yet provide an opportunity for second and third-line leaders to emerge and grow up the ladder.

PMK stand

More than the rest, it is the PMK which has been talking constantly in terms of a snap Assembly poll. Its founder-leader, S. Ramadoss, has also chosen to declare categorically that his party has no intention of switching camps. "We will remain in the DMK-led front and win the next election," he declares at every opportunity. This is to counter a not-so-silent campaign that the ruling AIADMK will be able to either split the PMK or even "win it over" in time for the next election. Party seniors insist this is "unfounded." The Democratic Progressive Alliance in the State "remains cohesive" and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre "is working well." Where is the need for a change of alliance, they ask.

It is the Opposition's contention that the AIADMK and its leadership will prefer to hold the election before Ms. Jayalalithaa's "disproportionate wealth case" makes serious progress in Bangalore.

According to ruling party sources, the elections are due only in May 2006 and there is no need to hold it earlier. "We have a five-year mandate and our leader wants to implement all the poll promises so that we can go back to the electorate and seek a fresh vote of confidence to continue our good work," reasons a party senior. Many of the projects, now under implementation, are expected to be completed by the year-end or early 2006. As for the Bangalore case, he says, "Our leader will meet it legally and overcome it as she has done in the past."

Simultaneously, it is pointed out, that an intensive electoral rolls revision has just begun. The Chief Electoral Officer, Naresh Gupta, has indicated that the final rolls may be ready only by August.

All parties are keen on a more accurate voter list than the one used for the 2004 parliamentary election.

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