“Son” Rising – Dynasty Ruling
“Son” Rising – Dynasty Ruling
Footnote: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has a total number of 234 seats, of which 45 are reserved constituencies (42 SC constituencies and 3 ST Constituencies).
Two Leaves could not succeed to capture power in Tamil Nadu for third consecutive term which even JJ or MK could achieve in Tamilnadu Politics. Hence Rising Sun winning the present Tamilnadu Assembly Election after a long wait of 10 years had not come as a surprise – more so after Rising Sun registering a history by its victory of 38 Lok Sabha seats with their alliance parties – leaving a lone seat to OPS’s son. This happened after the demises of both tall leaders of Two Dravidian parties - JJ in 5th December 2016 followed by MK in 7th August 2018.
Hence the present election became the test case for Stalin on the one side and EPS/OPS on the other side. While there was no struggle or trouble for Son Stalin to take full charge of DMK after his father’s death, the same could not be said about ADMK.
EPS and OPS had fought each other vigorously even going to the court to get Two Leaves Symbol – each one claiming that they were true ADMK party, apart from oppositions from Dinakaran and Sasikala combined, but, later these turbulent days had been wonderfully and deftly handled by both EPS & OPS subsequently paving the way to win Assembly Bye Elections which became crucial to retain power – Kudos to them and keeping a check on Rising Sun’s Ambitious Plan to topple ADMK Rule even at that time.
JJ had not named her successor and her sudden death after 6 months of her assuming charge of CM for the second term was a real challenging set back to EPS/OPS due to Dinakaran to split ADMK. As stated above, it was not an easy task for both EPS and OPS factions to run ADMK Government giving fairly a good governance and they richly deserved the appreciations which could not be translated into getting majority of seats to rule for the third term, but, though they had fought Rising Sun with all their might and power. In that fight, they could get only 66 seats for themselves plus 9 seats for PMK (5) and BJP (4)- Total of 75 seats as against DMK 133 seats (125 seats for themselves plus 4 seats for Vaiko Party & 4 Seats for others) + Congress 18 seats + Viduthalai Siruthai 4 seats + Communists Parties 4 seats – Total of 159 seats. DMK was with United Progressive Alliance (UPA) or Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and as a major partner, DMK could succeed in seat sharing with its alliance partners giving bare minimum seats of 61 seats only retaining the remaining 173 seats to themselves and also forcing Vaiko and Other fringe parties to contest on Rising Sun thereby those, if won, will be considered as DMK candidates only which has its own advantage. Even Congress could get only 25 seats.
This did not mean that ADMK had not done enough in their propaganda, as both EPS and OPS had done their jobs along with other members of the party. But large exodus of leading lights of ADMK to rival DMK along with their supporters was the real culprit in losing many seats. The fact that 8 Ex- Ministers of ADMK had been accommodated as Ministers by Stalin in his newly formed ministry will vouchsafe this point. Added to these, Dinakaran Factor had also done enough damage for ADMK’s hope to regain power for the third term or at least to stop DMK to cross the half way mark thereby making it to become ‘Collision Ministry’ or ‘Minority Government’ as used to be mock by JJ during DMK’s Minority Government Rule after 2011 election.
ADMK also had followed the same pattern of DMK in seat sharing mechanism – retaining for itself 171 seats (DMK 173 seats) – giving 63 seats only for its alliance partners – major chunk to PMK – 23 and BJP – 20 & others 20. With last Minute panic of Vaaniar Reservation hurriedly announced to placate PMK had done more harm than good and even with this big steps, PMK could win only 5 seats out of its contested 23 seats perhaps the move might have alienated Dalits and even angered them as revealed by the voting patterns.
DMK’s 2016 Vote Share of 32% increased to 38% - an increase of 6%, whereas ADMK’s Vote share of 41% in 2016 decreased to 33% - 8% in all which was a great factor in losing the election battle.
Some had floated the views that ADMK had lost more than 25 seats due to Dinakaran’s Factor and in some seats, victory margin was low and these could have spoiled the DMK’s Victory. Though there was some substance in this view, the same could be said about DMK’s losing some seats with low margin as well.
But facts remained that victory of 159 seats by DMK + could be no match for the poor show of 75 seats by ADMK + - difference of 84 compared to DMK’s 159. Hence it was a clear Victory for DMK and a Clear Defeat for ADMK and Tamilnadu Voters had reposed faith in DMK with Stalin as CM.
The Hindu Newspaper’s observations of EPS performance: Voters had not altogether rejected its alliance with BJP – communal party as portrayed by DMK +, as ADMK vote base was retained and its bastion in the western region was very much intact.
Handling of COVID 19 situation, farmers’ loan waiver and 7.5% quota for government school students in medical admissions seem to have stood EPS in good stead. But its sub-quota for vanniyar community seems to have had only limited impact, as the ADMK – PMK alliance performed below par in the northern districts, where most of the seats went to the DMK. DMK vote share in 2016 at 39% went up to 45% now. New challenge was posed by Naam Tamilar katchi whose vote share in this election was 6.58% pushing Makkal Needhi Maiam and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhakam consigned to the fringe.
E-Touch honour M.K. Stalin with a bouquet and wish him all success in running the government efficiently and effectively and giving no room for injustice.
Immediate Appreciable Administrative Steps initiated by CM Stalin:
Step 1: Banners with portraits of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that were displayed at the main entrance of the Secretariat in the Fort St. George campus on Friday 7th May were removed on Saturday 8th May.
Sources said they were removed following instructions from the Chief Minister’s Office. It was at this spot a banner with the portrait of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was displayed during the erstwhile AIADMK regime until the model code of conduct kicked in soon after the Assembly polls were announced.
Step 2: Bag containing Covid-19 Money Relief of Rs.2,000/- each 2.07 crore rice-ration card holders did not contain CM Stalin photo – but was embossed with Tamilnadu Government Emblem.
Misuse of Government Schemes for Party’s Political Propoganda which were practiced by Two Dravidian Parties if ended, then it would be good. Whether these steps are mere gimmicks or sincere policy corrections, Time alone can tell.
Step 3: Notification dated May 6, 2021 by the HR & CE Joint Commissioner and Board of Trustees was published on the temple website calling for applications to the post of the 51st Srirangam Narayana Jeeyar – the post remaining vacant since the 50th Jeeyar’s demise in July 2018 due to protests on the ground that ‘Jeer is the person supervising the religious activities of the temple and is vested with powers to control and monitor religious affairs of the temple and the administration can only manage the temple’s assets but not religious affairs.’ Now the notification was suspended for the present.
Step 4: An Amma Unavagam in the Maduravoyal area of Chennai run by the Tamil Nadu government was ransacked by unidentified people on 4th May - Tuesday. In visuals that went viral on social media, a couple of men were seen tearing up the poster and boards of the canteen which carried the name of the late J Jayalalithaa. But immediately knowing the unfortunate vandalism by DMK goons, Stalin had ordered to restore pre-riot stage without waiting for any one to complain and the persons were also booked and released on bail subsequently.
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