Massive Madurai crowd cheers M K Stalin during election campaign

Madurai: “There is no police here. We should police ourselves. Our Tamizhina poraali (revolutionary of the Tamil race) will be here in a couple of minutes,” an announcer sounds the arrival of DMK leader M K Stalin.

The beating of the thappu (chenda melam in other points) touches a new high. And, Stalin’s sophisticated campaign vehicle screeches to a halt near the Kakkan statue amidst the massive gathering in Melur. Virtually entering his elder brother and expelled DMK south zone organising secretary M K Alagiri’s one-time bastion, his face brightens up.

Impressed by the huge turnout ensured by rural district secretary P. Moorthi, he launches the road show trying to strike an emotional chord: “I am overwhelmed by your presence. I wish I could stand here and keep seeing your faces and talking to you all. See, I am getting goose bumps.”

The crowd shouts in excitement and a group of village women over there talk among themselves  “Not bad, Kalaignar’s son is talking well.”

He then goes on to introduce candidate V. Veluchamy saying the efficient and pro-poor advocate needs no introduction. “Veluchamy started his political life from the scratch. From being an ordinary cadre, he climbed the ladder. He is calm, composed, duty-conscious and not a betrayer. He strictly goes by Thalaivar Kalaignar’s word. Kalaignar has handed him over to you. So, you need to give him a thumping victory,” Stalin says subtly projecting Veluchamy as party chief Karunanidhi’s selection and not his and cautiously countering his defiant brother’s sustained campaign that the party has failed to recognise loyalists with tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls.

Continuing with his populist speech, he begins his attack on AIADMK supremo and chief minister Jayalalithaa for flying in chopper for campaigns. “Tagatagataga….,” he reproduces the sound of the helicopter leaving the audience puzzled for a second.

“Amma parakkuraango (Amma is flying),” he says using kongu dialect and then tells the voters in Butler English to bid adieu to AIADMK. In the same vein, he mocks at the AIADMK ministers’ ‘subservience’ and shows the audience how one should say ‘vanakkam’.

He highlights the power cut and drinking water problems and the region-specific DMK government projects put on the backburner by the AIADMK. Again, Stalin ridicules Jayalalithaa’s one-word refrain seyveergala (will you do?) and prompts the people to ask back whether she had done whatever she promised.

Before taking leave, he elicits a positive reply from the crowd around to his question on whether they would vote for the DMK and asks them to repeat the ‘yes’ at the top of their voice.

Elsewhere in the city, he underscores his visits to Madurai on various occasions including the opening of kanji thotti (gruel centre) protest during the previous AIADMK regime.

The DMK treasurer and heir apparent uses the same style of campaigning in all other points inside the city but to a very poor response.

However, he never forgets to ask the people to watch his public meeting telecast live on Kalaignar TV.