The verdict in Tamilnadu is anything but quite satisfactory for the majority number of voters spread across the state. I for one was happy on another count also - that my astrological prediction on Karunanidhi's fall did materialise. This is perhaps one prediction that I was anxious that it must materialise, mainly because the fall of MK means a lot from many angles.
First of all it reaffirmed the age old dictum that Dharma will assert itself later than never. It also showed that our people are not so mean as to be lured to vote for cash. "சோற்றாலடித்த பிண்டம்" is MK's popular dialogue whenever people had voted him out. Now people have shown that they are not "நோட்டால் அடித்த பிண்டம்" by defying the nasty bribe culture of MK and his party.
Every news channel is showing some discussion on what had gone wrong with the DMK and the pollsters. What they have missed is why the voters did not reveal their mind in the exit poll. Headlines Today telecast their Exit poll on 28th April itself violating the rule of the EC and declared that the dalits had voted for the DMK combine. That was the clue. That they didn't vote en masse for the DMK means that they feared for their life if they revealed the truth.
The fear factor and insecurity was there in different sections of the people for different reasons. The reprisal by the local DMK thugs is a very real factor that affected common man on the road – whatever be his job. From a local flower vendor who earns a few hundred rupees to an affluent trader in a city, there had been an element of intimidation felt by the people. Everyone was suffocating for some reason by the high handedness of the DMK men. I think probably the only job these thugs did not touch was garbage clearing! Otherwise the DMK men were omnipresent in every field and in every nook and corner of the State.
What the DMK had been gloating over as 'organizational strength' is in fact a well knit mafia of DMK thugs everywhere in the State. Those sitting in the comforts of home and office may not be aware of it. But the vast majority of common man has had some experience with the local DMK thugs. The people who had been given cash for votes know very well that they would be 'punished' by the DMK thugs if they revealed to whom they voted. The dalits had been the most exploited ones by MK yet they have learnt better survival instincts. The way they have fooled the pollsters is really ingenious. I salute them for resisting the temptation and also for playing cool and clever. Atleast from now onwards let no one take them for granted, let no one exploit them by whatever means.
Coming to the reason for the state-wide mood against the DMK, though there are several factors, the foremost factor in my opinion is that the people had been irked by the way the dignity and name of Tamils was tarnished by A.Raja, MK and his men at the national level, The people of Tamilnadu do not approve of the ways of DMK that looted nation's money. They also saw for sure that the Congress would not take action seriously against the DMK. It was left to the voter to give the verdict on the national shame that the DMK heaped on Tamils as such. And this is the punishment they had given to the DMK.
At the end of the day, I am filled with pride about my fellow Tamils and the power of democracy. Our thanks go to the Election Commission for the way they induced confidence in the voters to vote according to their conscience, Mr J. Gopi Krishnan who exposed the 2G scam, Dr Swamy who took it to the courts and Ms Jayalalithaa who chipped in at the right time paving way for the removal for A.Raja from the Ministry.
We were waiting for this momentous day today which Cho Ramaswamy expected with a final dialogue of 'AAAA.. Raajaaaa' by Karunanidhi.
There is a slight change in that.
Karuna will be wailing aaaa.. Raajaaththiiii as Kanimozhi is going to be the first among others to face the axe for his misdeeds.
*********************
Related posts:-
My assessment on poll outcome
Heavy polling in TN – what does it convey?
Written in August 2010
Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi – for whom Rajinikanth told the story in the Endhiran audio release?
Written October 2010.
