The RK Nagar bypoll is going to be Tamil Nadu’s biggest political headache. The poll represents the very bottom of the pit of politics as there is no known constituency in India in which bribes may have been paid like this. The tragedy is the people of RK Nagar have welcomed the “Thirumangalam Formula” to their doorsteps to such an extent that RK Nagar might as well apply for a patent for ingenious methods of votes for cash. Now, the “K Nagar formula” reigns supreme.
The story of RK Nagar is not only about corrupt politicians who are prepared to pay for votes. It is also about the people who have become willing accessories. It is easy for the people to justify the taking of bribes, the rationale being that it is after all their money that is coming back to them once in five years. The recipient of a bribe is not normally expected to show remorse but even the least expectation that they would condemn the corrupt politician who is prepared to buy their vote is not being met here.
The cash for vote trend has permeated the state like none other. In the sheer scale of operations, this one is humongous as about 50,000 households have to be taken care of with payments ranging from '5,000 per vote to '12,000. The upper limit is said to be employed by those who have grown rich at the expense of the state while the lesser amounts are by those who are forced to follow suit. The Election Commission is aware of the goings-on but is helpless to act because it can’t be seen cancelling the bypoll again. The neutral arbiter tasked with conducting polls all over the country can’t be seen to be accepting defeat.
The voters of RK Nagar consider themselves fortunate that the election got called off in the summer because they have a bonanza now in the winter election in the same ‘Rupee Nagar’. Given the economic strata of much of the RK Nagar dwellers no one begrudges them their little nest egg that comes along with various other gifts, including pressure cookers. Acceptance of such goods seems to come easily as the State itself has been known to be a benefactor of such freebies. In fact, Tamil Nadu has earned a name as the land of the freebies.
For long we have been despairing that elections are no more contested on great ideologies or principles. Even so, what the public vote has come down to in the capital of the state is a travesty of the very first principles of a democracy. If the highest bidder is to be elected we might as well float a tender and pick the representative who can pay the most to the people of the constituency. The kind of money being handed around should make pre-poll surveys meaningless unless, of course, the highest bidder manages to top the survey, in which case this is no more about freedom to choose a party or a candidate.
Wonder what those who wish to fight against corruption among netas and babus can do about widespread corruption among voters!
Given the State’s corruption trail, the intending netas from the world of movies are promising to make the crusade against graft their plank to connect with the people. This should make for a piquant situation if they are to fight this new trend of corruption among the voters. It is moot whether the charisma of the stars would be considered sufficient to fight elections. Or, would the stars themselves have to join this war to bid for votes?
It appears that unless a new wave comes along, Tamil Nadu politics will continue to corrupt all, including the people.
The ingenious ways in which money is reached to the voters make a story. The pictures of bananas stuffed with money may not be from RK Nagar itself but they simply reinforce the point that those determined to bribe and be bribed will find ways to do it. There are slips promising payments beyond the confines of the constituency as RK Nagar itself is under close watch for most parts of the day. There is a determination on the part of those forking out the money to ensure that the lolly reaches the voter, with a bit of a cut, of course, for taking the risk of operating in the given conditions.
On various visits to the constituency in the course of the run-up to the D-day of December 21 which is not far away, my colleagues have noticed a tendency to justify whatever is going on.
Moralising on corruption is not a Tamil Nadu habit. We have seen that in over 50 years of Dravidian rule that those accused of helping themselves to money at the expense of the state the perpetrators called leaders, are readily forgiven. The third edition of this RK Nagar drama in two years, which exemplifies the system as it exists in the state today, is a pointer to where we have come as a state and nation.
