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Bitter campaign comes to an end, archrivals wind up hectic tours
V. Jayanth
| In the absence of a wave or an anti-incumbency factor, focus remained on poll pledges |
CHENNAI: The curtains came down on the bitter campaign for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to be held on Monday.
By 5 p.m. on Saturday, speakers and mikes fell silent as political parties and candidates ended canvassing.
Though the notification for the election was issued only on April 13, the campaign started much earlier.
Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader Jayalalithaa started her marathon van campaign on March 31, while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M. Karunanidhi began his State-wide tour a week later.
Whirlwind tour
On Saturday, Mr. Karunanidhi set out on his city tour just before 9 a.m. and had an intensive campaign before winding up with an election meeting at the traditional venue in Chintadripet, where former Prime Minister V.P. Singh shared the platform.
Ms. Jayalalithaa, who began her campaign of the city constituencies well after noon, had a whirlwind tour, addressing gatherings at several places, all from her van.
The AIADMK's poll allies this time are the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and the Dalit Panthers of India (DPI), not to mention a few smaller parties and groups, including factions of the Muslim League.
MDMK leader Vaiko emerged as the vocal campaigner for the alliance, taking on the DMK leadership and launching a frontal attack on Mr. Karunanidhi's family.
For the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, the leaders of all the six parties have undertaken a State-wide tour to cover as many constituencies as possible.
They have been fully backed by the 13 Union Ministers from the State.
Central leaders, Ministers
As far as the Congress is concerned, aside from the Central leaders, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Minister of State for Programme Implementation G.K. Vasan were the key campaigners.
Star power
Films stars and personalities played a leading role in the campaign this year, as in the past. `Supreme Star' Sarath Kumar created a flutter by quitting the DMK and joining the AIADMK. So did a host of others including actor Murali, comedians Senthil and Kovai Sarala, along with Simran and Vindhya among others.
The DMK camp had actor-director Bhagyaraj and Vijaya T. Rajendhar (who is also contesting as Lakshiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate), in the lead.
Actor Vijayakant launched his Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) last September to contest the election on his own.
His colleague Karthik, who took over as State leader of the All India Forward Bloc, is not contesting, but campaigning for the party in the southern districts.
It has been freebies all the way in this election, with the DMK manifesto stealing the thunder and the AIADMK trying to match most of those giveaways. Party functionaries on both sides argue that voters have started asking "What is in it for me?"
The poll promises and freebies dominated the campaign to such an extent that some of the real issues of the people and the State got sidetracked. In the absence of a wave or an anti-incumbency factor, the focus remained firmly on the poll pledges.
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