There is an unmistakable sign that Tamil Nadu voters want a change in style and substance of governance , which would be possible only if the two Dravidian parties would be out of reckoning.
by N.S.Venkataraman
The decision of Annamalai led B J P to contest the forthcoming election to civic bodies in Tamil Nadu without alliance with other parties has caught the admirers and critics of BJP by surprise.
Many think that Annamalai must have taken this decision, as he now thinks that his political campaign during the last several months after taking over as President of BJP in Tamil Nadu has now reached a decisive stage.
It is not only DMK and it’s allies who think that Annamalai is fast becoming a noteworthy and decisive politician in Tamil Nadu that could threaten their political influence in the coming years, even BJP’s national ally AIADMK seem to be alarmed at the steadily growing strength and popularity of Tamil Nadu BJP under Annamalai’s leadership. Perhaps, AIADMK also fears that growth of BJP in Tamil Nadu would adversely impact the fortunes for AIADMK in short and medium term. This is, perhaps, the reason why AIADMK refused the demand for seat share by BJP in it’s alliance for the civic polls and by remaining tough during negotiations, AIADMK wanted to cut Annamalai and BJP to it’s size.
The overall assessment of the political situation in the state by all parties seem to suggest that Annamalai led BJP is forging ahead in the state from strength to strength , though such strength is yet to be proven conclusively in the electoral battle.
In the last sixty years or so , Tamil Nadu has been governed by the two Dravidian parties alternately , with really no significant difference in performance yardsticks and with political and administrative corruption in the state reaching alarming proportions. In such circumstances, many discerning observers are of the view that Tamil Nadu would be able to achieve it’s full potential as a progressive state, only if the governance in Tamil Nadu would go to any other better party other than the two Dravidian parties , who have shown poor governance capability and wasted opportunities.
There is an unmistakable sign that Tamil Nadu voters want a change in style and substance of governance , which would be possible only if the two Dravidian parties would be out of reckoning.
Certainly, there is an increasing view emerging amongst a cross section of the population in Tamil Nadu that Annamalai may be able to meet the expectations of the Tamil Nadu voters , as he has been conducting himself with a high level of dignity, political maturity and clarity in thought , policies and programmes. Annamalai has engineering qualification and MBA qualification from premier institute and having been selected as IPS officer in All India services and with excellent track record as police officer in Karnataka state, it appears that Annamalai has everything in him to emerge as top class political leader .
In a desperate attempt to stem the rise of Annamalai led BJP , the critics and other parties in Tamil Nadu are trying to create an impression that BJP will disturb the religious harmony in Tamil Nadu . They term BJ P as a non secular party (whatever it may mean) though Annamalai has repeatedly clarified that BJP wishes all religions well and BJP is only condemning the anti Hindu stance of a few political parties including DMK in Tamil Nadu.
The ground reality today is that those parties, which claim that BJP is non secular, are only those parties which play communal cards and appease the minority community as part of vote share politics. Their strategy appears to be to systematically criticize the Hindu religion and it’s way of life, so that it would appease the minority community in the state. What DMK and other critics of BJP are doing today is essentially hate politics , that is effectively disturbing the harmony in the state. When they accuse BJP of being communal, it is like a man sitting in a glass house throwing stones at others.
Certainly, as a political leader , Annamalai sounds differently in functioning style and pattern and represents a refreshing contrast in the political climate in the state. This refreshing change has not gone unnoticed.
The critics of BJP and other political parties are conducting a massive anti Annamalai campaign ,through the print and visual media in the state ,as most section of print and visual media in Tamil Nadu are showing excessive loyalty to the ruling party DMK for whatever reasons and some of them have openly become the mouthpiece of DMK and the sworn critics of BJP.
Such a determined and motivated anti BJP campaign of the section of print and visual media in Tamil Nadu is posing a problem for Annamalai in reaching his message to the people. Several of the speeches and actions of Annamalai remain deliberately unpublicized by several media houses. The question remains as to how Annamalai would tackle this media challenge in the coming months.
Nevertheless, the Dravidian parties and critics now clearly see the rising tide in favour of Annamalai , as this educated , suave person hailing from a lower income group family and with enormous updated knowledge about socio economic issues is working with great zeal .
People in Tamil Nadu, who have been seeing the hate politics and counter productive methods and high level of corruption amongst the two Dravidian parties over the last six decades, are desperately looking for a refreshing change in the political climate in the state . Annamalai appears to be elegantly filling up the gap , with his lofty functioning style and with the difference in the public image of Annamalai with other political leaders in the state becoming too obvious and glaring.
It appears that Annamalai’s growing influence cannot be checked and this is more than evident from the desperate and merciless leaders of the Dravidian parties and the critics and section of media launching their strident and virulent campaign against him.
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