West Bengal

Parties have it to the Tee

Currently, Election campaign is in full high in the state of West Bengal. The ruling party, Left Front, is leaving no stone unturned to make sure the formation of 7th Left Front Govt in the state.

As the political parties are not able to use the walls for their election campaign, they are inventing newer and innovative ways to reach people with their appeal to cast vote for them. If anyone now come across any of the streets of Kolkata, he's sure to find the vendors and the Rickshaw pullers wearing the T-shirts and aprons of various political parties (mainly the ruling party of course)in favour of a candidate.

Though this govt could not uplift the living standards of the poor in their last 30 yrs of rule, they are surely making those ignorants smile with a gift of new t-shirt on the poll-eve. Even the political parties are selling the umbrellas bearing the name of their candidates in an amazingly low price. Caps are getting falunted everywhere in the city.

Loud speakers are doing their job mercilessly. As usual prmises are flowing from everywhere.. Inaguarations of "never-to-started" projects are on vigorously; Promises of street light, school, pump and who knows what else are there always to stay.

It seems that this year left front will have a comparatively easier year as none of its opponent parties are integrated and strong enough to give them a run for their money. According to this Citizen Election Reporter , nothing unexpected is gonna happen. The big candidates will win it easily and 7th Left Front Govt is a matter of mere time.

But, the question is that whether that will serve any purpose for the betterment of the state in the next five years or we'll have to face the same sad music.

Kallol Ghoshal
IT professional
Nadia

Tamil Nadu is set for DMK+Congress+PMK+Communist rule.

My prediction is:

DMK: 90
Congress: 30
PMK: 30
Communist: 15
ADMK: 50
MDMK: 10
DPI: 5
Others: 4

DMDK (Vijayakant) will not get any seats but he may get some 3-4% of vote in this election.

It will coalition governmant this year in tamil nadu. First time PMK may get ministers in Tamil nadu.

Mohan Samikkannu
Software engineer
Chennai

No free lunch

It's very interesting to hear that public all around, critcised the freebees offer and are against it. All the Political parties must know that, they are no longer able to deceive the people. If they are not people friendly, they are out of the game.

I wonder why, the good literate ministers such as Dhyanithi maran and P chidambaram, supported the freebees campaign. They should be ashamed of themselves, for supporting the freebees issued by DMK. Look at the strategy, they will import TV from china itseems. This is the bad example by any political party or Government, to buy goods outside of our country and dump here. What happen to local manufactures. As a rule Govt should support local vendors always.

I don't know why DMK's cheif Karunanithi gone mad. Can DMK able to deliver these items from their own pocket? the answer is Nay, it all these are people money from both central and state.

Then what will be the development plan. the answer is also nothing. all political parties want to come to power and crush their opposition. DMK supports only their family not the public, while JJ suports her own friend sasikala and her family. Vijayakant is new, but he already started his family support by giving seat to his cousin.

• Complete coverage: Citizen Election Reports

To summarise all if DMK comes to Power, the people will be imposed with hell a lot of taxes and promote their own family members and their business. vijayakant's DMDK is new, but looks too immature. ADMK is OK, if JJ clears all the illegal business of her soul mate Sasikala.

Hey political parties, kindly think of development plan and try to give good promises in your election manifesto, and imporatantly stick to that.

Rajesh
Engineer

Karunanidhi has forgotten…

In 1967, late Annadurai very solemnly promised, nay swore with theatrical flourish in the name of his 'conscience' (he professed to be too strong an atheist to swear in the name of God) that, if elected to power, his Government would supply rice at the rate three measures (please note `measures' and not `kilo' and one measure was then equal to 1.75 kilos) per rupee. He became Chief Minister of Tamilnadu in April 1967 alright. But the rice never appeared as he had promised.

Since 1967 and till today, in Tamilnadu, rice has never been sold for less than five rupees a Kilo in the open market and less than three rupees a kilo through Public Distribution System.

Karunanidhi has been Chief Minister of Tamilnadu for four times and never once did he try to bring down the price of rice. Why, he did not even attempt to ensure that good quality rice was supplied to the ration card holders. When poor quality of rice was brought to his notice in Sept. 1999, he remarked that worms and rice were inseparable like thumbnail and flesh and no harm would befall if the worms were discarded.

Last year the UPA Government at the centre not only reduced the quantum of rice allotted to States but also withdrew the financial assistance given to States to fill the gap between the market price (Rs. 13/- per Kilo ) and the price of rice sold in Ration shops (Rs. 3.50 per kilo). Neither Karunanidhi nor any of his alliance partners who have their men in Union Cabinet protested.

Jayalalitha boldly faced the crisis and ensured that the poor did not have to suffer from the unhelpful attitude of the Central Government but continued with supplying rice at the rate of Rs. 3.50 per kilo. Karunanidhi simply watched the situation. Now he says that he will supply rice at the rate of two rupees per kilo.

When the central Government is trying to withdraw all types of subsidies, from where Shri Karunanidhi will get funds to supply rice at the rate of two rupees a kilo and if the central government is willing to help him out what will it do in respect of other states that may demand similar assistance. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Y Rajsekhara Reddy, Vilas Rao Deshmukh and Amrinder Singh will not keep quiet if Chidambaram decides to favour Tamil Nadu with rice at two rupees a kilo when no government is able to sell wheat at Rs. 2/- per Kg. Waiver of loans taken by the farmers and supply of colour TVs will follow the wheat.

On Saturday 15 April 2006, Chidambaram, the financial wizard and the Finance Minister endorsed the assurance of Karnanidhi on supply of rice at the rate of two rupees a kilo with a `mischievous smile'. God alone knows the type of taxes behind that smile which he will impose to increase the burden of the common man. He belongs to the hybrid variety of American and Karunandhi types of financial managements, two mutually incompatible. Like the Americans, Shri Chidambaram would like freebies reduced and earning by individuals increased.

Simultaneously, on the other hand, he would like to help his friend Karunanidhi in the latter's promise to supply rice at the rate of two rupees a kilo. People would like to see Chidambaram to produce hot ice cream when his Priime Minister himself is against subsidies and freebies. Chidambaram added attraction to his endorsement by according his approval to the assurance of Karunanidhi to supply colour TVs to the voters.

Observation of Chidambaram in support of Karunanidhi becomes more interesting in the background of Union finance ministry attempting to withdraw exemption to manufacturing tax and to re-impose excise tax leading to hike in prices of over 25 commodities of the common man like pencil, soap, lantern, pressure cooker and toothpowder. Chidambaram is sure to get ensnared in is own net. It will be interesting to see Sonia Gandhi campaigning for free color TVs and for rice at two rupees a kilo.

We should remember at this juncture, the justification given by Chidambaram when he introduced Service tax and fringe benefit tax, drawing comparison with `advanced countries'. My esteem for Chidambaram would have gone up if he had stated that he would not impose any new tax nor would he enhance any of the existing taxes to supply free colour Tvs and to supply rice at the rate of Two rupees a kilo. His wizardry in Public Finance is at stake. Let us see what Chidambaram will do if Congress in West Bengal and Kerala also choose to lure the voters through free colour TVs. Chidambaram should seriously consider

Next comes the Colour TV issue. This promise of Karunanidhi is solely intended to promote his family business and nothing else. It is twenty days since he first announced this promise and everyone in Tamilnadu has understood the sinister motive of Karunanidhi whenever he mentions free supply of colour TVs. TV network barons like Zee TV, StarTV and eTV and Multi System Operators like Siti Cable, Hatheway and Home TV should erect a monument for Karunanidhi for his efforts to boost up their business. They can more than hope for similar demands or poll related assurances from other states. Karunanidhi would do very well if he registers his poll promise under Copy Rights and Patents Act and demand royalty.

• Complete coverage: Assembly elections 2006

Next comes waiving of loans taken by farmers from Cooperative banks. Karunanidhi has promised that he would write off all loans taken by formers from cooperative banks. What Karunanidhi has not realized so far in his political career is that the farmers do not want such `pittances' or `freebies'. Like Karunanidhi, they also have self respect. What they want is, reliable water management, regular supply of seeds and fertilizers and remunerative prices for their produce. If these are assured then they do not want even free electricity because the cost of electricity is nothing when compared to the just profit the farmers will make if the other items are assured.

As any intelligent farmer can see, the catch is `reliable water management'. This is where Karunanidhi has been cheating, repeatedly, the farmers of Tamilnadu. Palar and Mullaiperiyaru issues are recent. Janus face of Congress and the Communists got exposed in their support to Kerala Government on Mullaiperiyaru Dam and on Palar Dam.

Let us see what Karunanidhi has done with regard to Cauvery Issue. The original agreement on sharing Cauvery waters by Tamilnadu and Karnataka lapsed in 1974 when Karunanidhi was Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. Earlier in March 1971, he, in alliance with Congress under Indira Gandhi had contested and won. The relationship between Gandhi and Karunanidhi was at its best throughout 1971, 1972 and 1973. Karunanidhi did nothing to ensure due release of Cauvery waters for Tamil Nadu by Karnataka.

It should be remembered that in 1972 Karunanidhi obliged Indira Gandhi by not raising the issue of sharing of Cauvery Waters by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka when Congress(I) under late Devaraj Urs was fighting against the Congress (Nijalingappa) in Karnataka. Since then, Karunanidhi has failed several times to safeguard the interests of Cauvery Delta farmers. Whenever late M G Ramachandran or Jayalalitha tried to settle the dispute through amicable means, Karunanaidhi would, stung by his valorous Tamil sentiment, would condemn the act of `cowardice' and would advocate a `war' for Tamilian rights.

On the other hand, if Jayalalitha chooses to establish the rights of Tamilnadu over Cauvery waters through legal battles, Karunanidhi talks of settling the issue through `friendly' talks. Here we should remember how Udhayaâ TV, an affiliate of SUN TV in Karnataka was pleased to highlight the attack on Tamils by Kannadigas whenever Cauvery water was demanded by Tamilnadu. Love for and Tamil and Tamils is secondary to Karunandidhi. Family business is more important than Cauvery. He would however advocate that his party men should sacrifice everything for `principle'.

Jayalalitha deserves to be reelected only on one issue that is her water management. But for her rain harvesting projects and II Veeranam project Tamilandu especially, Chennai city, would be reeling under severe water scarcity in the months of April and May. Thanks to her farsightedness, people of Chennai need not run from pillar to post for getting drinking water. Here again, Karunanaidhi never bothered to solve drinking water crisis in Chennai city becaue his family members were running more than four hundred water tankers.

Supply of gas stove to voters is another gimmick of Karunanidhi. Since May 2004 till today, UPA Government at the centre has hiked the price of gas cylinder four times. Karunanidhi has done nothing. When he is unable to stall the price hike, will he be able to ensure constant supply of gas and if so at what price. Jayalalitha has ensured, against all odds, that the price of kerosene remained within the reach of poor people. If Karunanidhi can ensure less price for kerosene then he can claim himself to be better than Jayalalitha.

On Thursday 14 April 2006, Karunanidhi was on his election campaign trail in Ulundurpet. He was fondly accosted by Jayakumar, a peddler of groundnuts and son of late Manicka Kandiyar. Manicka Kandiyar and Karunanidhi were intimate friends in 50s and 60s and Kandiyar helped Karunanidhi when he was struggling to get his feet in Tamilnadu politics. Kandiyar was a wood cutter. His son Jayakumar is a peddler of groundnuts in 2006. Whereas progenies of Karunanidhi are millionaires controlling Rs. 8000 crores worth of business in the form of Sun TV, Sun News, Sun Music, KTV, Surya TV, Gemini TV, Udaya TV, Teja News, Ushe News, WIN TV, Sun FM, Surya FM, all TV and Radio channels, Sumngali Cable Vision and SCV, both Multi System Operators, Kumkumam, Murasoli, Dhinakran, Tamil Murasu, all Magaziens and News papers and Mekala Pictures, a film producing and distributing unit. That is DMK under Karunanidhi. Worker will always be a worker and his progeny cannot hope to become even one hundredth as rich as any of the progenies of Karunanidhi.

Karunanidhi takes delight to announce that he is related to Dalits because his son Alagiri married a Dalit. What people miss to notice is that, because Alagiri married a Dalit, he is deliberately sidelined by Karunanidhi although Alagiri is senior to Stalin very senior to Dhayanidhi Maran. Compared to that of Dayanidhi Maran, contribution by Alagiri in building up DMK especially in southern districts, deserves better recognition by Karunanidhi. That is for the love Karunanidhi has for Dalits.

But for MGR and Jayalalitha Karunanidhi would have swindled and rolled out Tamil Nadu to his backyard. It was God's boon to Tamilians that these two leaders appeared on the scene of Tamil Nadu.

Rangaswamy
Retireee
Trichy

Jayalalitha is bold and tough and hence she has taken tough decision. Tough decisions can either be good or bad. By taking back all bad decisions she is projecting herself as a good administrator.

But good administration is just not taking tough decision. One has to be creative, strategic and also empathetic while taking decision. Which is totally absent in her. Both the dravidan have been big bore. Want tamilandu requires is an alternative definetly not vaiko or congress or vijaykanth definetly not subramaniam swamy.

P Balakrishnan
Accountant
Chennai

We need continuity

The election scenario here in Kerala is really hot. Historically, people in highly educated Kerala changes the fronts (LDF & UDF) in each election. No doubt, this has affected continuity in policies of the government.

This time, UDF is in election fray with a strong leader, Oommen Chandy who has proved his mettle as strong Chief Minister. Unlike his predecessor A K Antony, he was very strong and quick in decisions and had been instrumental in forcing the king of group politics K Karunakaran and two other Kerala Congress factions to move from UDF.

The return of DIC (Karunakaran) is a real problem to UDF and every one in Kerala knows that Shri Oommen Chandy is against the alliance. It is 'politricks' by certain UDF constituents that DIC is back in UDF. This will definitely reduce the seats of UDF.

LDF, on the other hand, has certain internal rivalry. But, they have managed to get the support of parties like PDP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which is in LDF's advantage. The candidates put up by LDF are better than the UDF candidates in many assembly constituencies. LDF has not projected a CM candidate in this election. LDF lacks a dynamic leader, this time.

• Be a Citizen Election Reporter!

Most of the younger generation of Kerala always liked the lifestyle of old Left comrades and their views on socialism. Now, most of the leaders in LDF are also corrupt (Achutahandan does not fall into this category), like their counter parts in UDF. They are also after wealth. This has clearly reduced the gap between UDF and LDF leaders, in terms of corruption. LDF seems to be opposing violently on any policies of government.

Any independent Keralite will like to have Mr Chandy continue in the post of CM for keeping the momentum of development in spite of other minor setback in social sector. He also has proved that its leader who matters and not the parties or their views.

John V
Engineer
Ernakulam

Party insiders say if the LDF is voted to power, which is most likely, Achuthanandan is a sure bet to become the next chief minister of Kerala. There is no chance for that. Also, he has no confidence about his constituency, we can see there is no other leaders campaign for LDF. so it's fact, there is a rebellion. its not a media creation. CPI(m)is not united now, and they are not confident of a historic victory this time.

VS Achuthandan is making Clean image about his party

Why didn't he tell anything about the party denied a seat first somedays ago? he was keeping mom.. why? The CPI-M has not projected any chief ministerial candidate during the election, it's not true, CPI(m) has projected four chief ministers, in malabar area Paloli Muhhammed kutty, North kerala Pinnarayi, in the middle VS Achuthanandan, South side M A baby, they are trying to woo the voters.

and I also read that The CPI-M is the only party in India that fights corruption and communal forces. He didn't say anything about "SNC Lavlin issue and Kiliroor sex scandal'. It has involved Pinnarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. VS told the reporters earlier, he knows the convict about the Kiliroor sex scandal, but he hasn't told about it yet. Also, he told about SNC Lavlin issue (curreption about 374 crores) the Comapany should include Black list, but there is no calrifaication from him. The people want to know more about it, if he is a clean and honest man, he will tell all about it, but he haven't done that.

Baby C I
Teacher
Kunnamkulam