Thirumangalam is an auspicious town with an auspicious history. It derives its name from a tradition of goldsmiths who specialised in making the Thirumangalyam. Well, whatever, but the current happenings in the by-poll being held in the constituency, which is spread over three hundred villages besides Thirumangalam proper and a few other towns, seem most inauspicious for democracy.
Even a brief ride through the constituency was quite revealing. This was clearly the mother of all by-elections thus far and every square inch of the dusty topography stood testimony to it. Cut outs, festoons, racing jeeps, blaring speakers and dhoti-clad co-borns are all familiar vignettes of TN electoral mileu, but Thirumangalam went way beyond all that. The footprints of the entire political class of TN were littered all over the place. Opposing political prima donnas stayed in hotels in the same vicinity, various party cadre jostled in the same alleys at the same time, protagonist speakers addressed each other rather than the voter from adjacent podiums, processions criss crossed while the prime candidates themselves would have seen eye to eye literally a thousand times a day. No stone was left unturned and no voter was left untapped. Indeed, the stakes have been raised to such a level that the victor would consider himself … or herself, the conquerer of the world.
Thirumangalam is already a watershed, whatever the outcome. The by-poll is unprecedented on just one count alone: victory by any means is the credo of all the contestants and worse, the methods were brazen without an iota of attempt to hide them. The EC and its model code simply did not exist if the campaign was any proof; they may probably come back to roost post facto. For the present however, the political parties have had a gala celebration … and the voters a fulsome feast. If indeed the latter had been put to untold hardship owing to incessant barrage by the parties, they can at the least feel ‘adequately compensated’ for all the troubles. In that, the locals claim both the DMK and AIADMK vied in intent and effort. They varied only in the content of the cover. And by virtue of not just being the ruling power but also a pastmaster in electoral mal-practices, the DMK truly excelled.
Did I say ‘cover’? Well, that was only in the initial days. As the D- day drew close, cash just flowed without a camouflage. No less than the rising son was caught on camera dispensing five-hundred rupee notes, crisp as well as crumpled, to voters. Of course, the visuals were denied. The DMK for its part supplied ‘proof’ of AIADMK men distributing cash which too were denied. But a few beneficiaries I spoke to were not so circumspect; rather they were quite forthcoming and in fact, checked notes with peer-voters to know if they were shortchanged. Thankfully, there were hardly any complaints: For a change, all political parties had not only been scrupulously honest in keeping promises but also displayed clinical efficiency in delivering the dues. Alas, one does not get to see such diligence in governance. Indeed, the entire world may be in the midst of a debilitating economic slump, but there was no sign of it in Thirumangalam!
It is not that the EC was a silent spectator all through. TN’s Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta, particularly, has been at the receiving end of unmitigated ire in the form of accusations, intimidations and even threats for blowing the whistle all too often against the DMK. To his credit, he has spared none and responded to all complaints, besides acting suo motu in obvious cases. If the DMK has more cause to be aggrieved it is simply because it sowed more. At the national level too, Chief Election Commissioner Gopalsamy, who visited the battle field, blurted out in frustration that TN is now worse than UP or Bihar in electoral violations. Coming from a bureaucrat who is supposed to be cautious and restrained, this statement may seem misplaced and rather uncharitable to those two States, but the spontaneity of the comment is also quite revealing of the prevailing realities. TN indeed is a political cesspool murkier than most other States and one does not need certification of the obvious.
This is a historic truth ever since the advent of DMK in 1967. While Anna’s party brought electoral campaigan to new lows to defeat Kamaraj’s Congress and Kamaraj himself through a combination of vitriolic rhetorics and Goebbelsian disinformation, all couched in catchy slogans, the subsequent intra-Dravidian rivalry of over three decades is unmatched in rest of India. With no ideology or principle worth talking off, the two parties are bloated manifestations of their party bosses’ personalities. The captive cadre and entrenched leaders enjoy a seamless quid pro quo arrangement by which they feed each other, albeit, from public funds and prosper. And elections are the critical events that bring their symbiotic connection to fruition. Indeed, politics and polls are at once high profile commercial endeavours as also fight-to-finish personal battles between the two familiar protagonists. Violence and violations in polls of all hue, from Panchayat to Parliament to mid-term ones, have been endemic. For, success at the hustings decides who would go to Fort and who would walk the courts. Spoil sports like Supreme Court Judges and Election Commissioners who come in the way of the leader’s whim and natural right to win and rule, simply have to be discredited, dismissed and if possible, dispensed. Little wonder CEC Gopalsamy is now K’s bugbear for his explicit ourpourings, his ‘Aryan’ descent adding to the angst. But to K’s credit, can we also forget the not so pleasant precedent of former CEC Seshan being under siege in a star hotel for hours during J’s rule of ‘91-96’? ECs have always had it tough here.
Given such a scenario it is really a wonder that the polls passed off peacefully. But it is still premature – may be the worst is reserved for post polls after the result. From the State’s point of view it is irrelevant who wins for the battle has been most foul. But it could be crucial for Madurai. If DMK succeeds, the dust would inevitably settle down after the usual but legitimate noises over a bought-over victory. But if the ruling party loses or the EC plays villain, locals fear Madurai would burn for Thirumangalam’s electoral ‘infidelity’. And we all know of K’s soft corner for those who set Madurai ablaze, be it Kannagi or you-know-who-else. That would be most inauspicious for an auspicious town with an auspicious history!
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