The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Frenzied wooing

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Thursday, Apr 20, 2006

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Frenzied wooing

With elections round the corner in Tamil Nadu, parties seem to be in a frenzy to announce sops. Archrivals AIADMK and DMK are elbowing each other to promise rice to the people at a cheaper cost. Time and again the trend has been to make a host of promises, a majority of which will not be implemented after the polls. It is perhaps time the Election Commission brought in a regulatory authority to monitor the feasibility of poll promises.

Mithila Krishnan,
Chennai

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's offer of 10 kg of free rice every month to all cardholders has surprised the DMK, the Congress and the PMK. The announcement of the scheme after Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's statement that rice supply at Rs.2 a kg is feasible was thoughtful.

S. Sridharan,
Tiruchi, T.N.

When the DMK announced rice supply at Rs.2 a kg, Ms. Jayalalithaa ridiculed the offer saying it was not feasible and that it was a move to cheat the public. Now by promising 10 kg of rice free to all cardholders, she has gone a step ahead. The AIADMK either fears defeat or strongly believes that people are fools and can digest anything.

K.R. Parthasarathy,
Bangalore

Will a ration cardholder be permitted to avail himself of the offer on a lesser quantity? Something like buy-5kg-and-get-5kg free and so on?

T.V. Suresh,
Coimbatore

Both the DMK and the AIADMK leaders are throwing baits, which are not feasible to implement. One wonders when our politicians will promise employment and housing for all.

K. Pradeep,
Chennai

Since it is election time, I have postponed the purchase of electric fans and some other household items. With the list of freebies becoming longer on a daily basis, I am confident one party or another will promise a fan soon. I appeal to fellow voters too to defer their purchase plans till May 8. I also request the parties to promise supply of 25 litres of petrol free to each two-wheeler owner every month. The party that does so is sure to get a huge chunk of middle-class votes.

Veda Iyer,
Chennai

The tendency among parties to announce doles at the drop of a hat should be curbed. Populist schemes are not sustainable and in a society that is becoming globally competitive, they will prove retrograde in the long run. The media should initiate a debate on these measures and the desirability of announcing them.

Lt. Col. (retd.) R.V.S. Mani,
Madurai, T.N.

Manifestos remind us of the saying that a politician is one who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence later. It is no secret that the manifestos are clever drafts drawn up with the sole intention of wooing the electorate and nothing more.

M.D.S. Prabu,
Chennai

The election manoeuvres by politicians remind us of clearance sales. They are not interested in winning votes on the basis of their performance or merit. In the election year, budgets are tax-free, prices of essentials are not raised, benefits pour in, concessions are announced almost every day, and the public are adored next only to god.

M. Panchapakesan,
Coimbatore

The voters should ask parties for free supply of salt so that they can take all offers of freebies with a pinch of salt.

V. Ramaswami,
Chennai

We hear about alliance arithmetic, scientific rigging, chemistry of leadership, assets of candidates and the economics of manifestos. What is missing is the politics of good governance. In this backdrop we are reminded that to vote is our right and duty.

S. Kamakshi,
Chennai

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