People-friendly tour puts Stalin on poll high
DMK treasurer M. K. Stalin is leaving nothing to chance
By : k. karthikeyan
Update: 2015-10-30 07:04 GMT
Chennai: Criss-crossing the state to give the party an image makeover and lift the party cadres ahead of Assembly election, DMK treasurer Stalin M. K. Stalin is leaving nothing to chance in the namakku namey tour. Be it squatting on an ordinary cement floor with SHG women in a nondescript village or sitting among farmers beneath a banyan tree surrounded by paddy fields or even visiting a slush filled Uzhavar shandai (government run vegetable market), everything is planned to the minutest detail, even the 10-minute pit stops, to ensure that Stalin connects with masses at a micro level.
Whether the turnout for his meetings or people waiting in large numbers in wayside villages to catch a glimpse of the former deputy CM will transfer into votes is debatable and tad too early to decide, but the tour has certainly built an aura around the DMK poster boy who has made people mumble “such tall leaders have never visited us” in many remote hamlets he had visited. Chanting the mantra “Politicians should come to people” and “I am not here to do politics or to make personal political attacks” wherever he goes, the former deputy CM spoke to Deccan Chronicle at length about the formula and success of his now famous Namakku Namey tour and why he had kept his mavattams and vattams (district and block secretaries of the party) off the trip at Lutheran Church in Tirukovilur near Villupuram.
Q. In the third stage of your tour, many in your party feel you are going the extra mile this time…
This is not new to me. I have been doing this all along. This might look like a drama to many (Opposition parties). This might irritate, annoy and infuriate them. I take that as an encouragement and continue.
Q. Will your tour have any impact on your political opponents?
Some Opposition parties, which do not like the DMK, and some fringe parties have nothing else to do. So they are trying to do politics with my tour. As regards the ruling AIADMK, they are angry that I am interrupting their corruption and extravagant ways. Ruling party is not organising any event. No minister or MLA or MPs in involved in any activity. They are erecting hoardings showcasing non-existent achievements everywhere. If we keep one banner for namakku namey, they erect 10 banners. Our banner is devoid of political attacks. It just informs about the event.
Q. You have taken a conscious decision not to have the usual ingredients of political rallies in your tour.
I made it very clear even before starting the tour. Namakku Namey should not be a party event. It should be an apolitical event in which everyone should participate. I saw that happen when I visited Namakkal. The Lorry Owners Association had organised a meeting there and its president Nallathambi is an AIADMK member. He did not just participate and make a representation but talked about corruption, commission and police atrocities. Even people who do not belong to any political outfit are coming eagerly to take part in my meetings. It is a great success.
Q. Information and publicity department has flagged off 32 vehicles to publicize the government’s achievements…
Our campaign engages youth wing and local party units. But, they are spending public money to print twin leaves symbol and CM’s image on those vehicles. They are spending government money as if it is their party fund. They will have to answer people for this very soon.
Q. You have covered 163 constituencies (till Wednesday) and met people from different walks of life. Did any specific issue dominate the public discourse?
Three major issues! Agriculture. Farmers of all kinds are deeply affected. They are vying with each other to participate and petition me. Even those who did not apply are queuing up to take part in the consultation meetings. During DMK regime, we waived farm loan, free power and subsidies. Farmers are realizing it. Unemployment. At least 84 lakh have registered in employment exchanges. We gave jobs to 5 lakh people. We filled all vacancies in government. There is vacancy in all departments. The government is unable to fill because of rampant commission and corruption in all departments.
GIM. It should have been organised in the first or second year. In fact, it is not necessary to hold such meets to woo investment. But they have done it for publicity at the fag end of the tenure. Chief minister Jayalalithaa said Rs1 lakh crore first and Rs 2.42 lakh crore later. Normally, one can say approximately. During DMK regime, we brought investments and established industries in Oragadam and Sriperumbudur among other places even without holding such conference.
Likewise, PDS product delivery is appalling. People complain to me that fair price shops do not have any products. They announce a date but say no stock when people turn up. The same problem exists in old age pension distribution. They promised to increase it. But reduced the beneficiary count up to 70 per cent. OAP has been stopped for many. Even DMK sympathisers are not given OAP.
Q. What is that one thing that you have learnt on this journey?
People don’t like the government. They are ready to vote if elections are held today. That is the truth. They have reposed their faith in us and hence the overwhelming public response to my tour.
Q. You have been meeting good number of women voters … Did they make any particular request?
Wherever I go, women insist on enforcing prohibition. That is why our leader Kalaignar announced it even before poll fever had set in. A few others have been raising the issue too, but people do not believe that they will do it. The issue took centrestage only after Kalaignar made the announcement.
Q. Did you specially prepare for the tour?
I always go for morning walk, practise yoga and follow a healthy diet. I stopped the morning walk ever since starting this tour, because I walk a lot here (smiles).
Q. Reports indicate that electoral officer Sandeep Saxena might be changed. Your party has been making allegations and demanding his ouster?
I read the reports too. I do not know the reason (for the change). There were serious problems in the way the office of the election commissioner functioned in Tamil Nadu. I had even released evidence in my Cuddalore rally of DMK votes being deliberately removed. EC sought time to set that right. They assured that there would be no such exclusion. Then came the RK Nagar polls. ECI did not care to act on the irregularities we pointed out. We are contemplating legal remedy.
Q. So do you consider that the tour was a success?
The kind of criticism they are engaging in, calling me pretentious, ridiculing me, makes me feel that it is a victory.
Q. DMDK leader Vijayakanth ecently said that he is ready to make any compromise to defeat Jayalalithaa….
It means they hate the AIADMK regime.