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Home > Assembly Elections 2006 > Citizens' Report

April 07, 2006

Assam

Simple majority for AGP

The ruling congress party in assam is facing stiff competioon from both asom gana parishad and bjp.the anti incumbency factor is wotking against the congress regime and there is chances that it will lose most of its seats to agp and bjp. thye kakopathar killing has worsened congress's chances and the recent death of monica moran has added to the woes of the party.

For bjp many bigwigs have campaigned in the state and thord front leader like chandrababu naidu has come in aid of agp.the congress however has not lost its spirit and has put up a brave front aginst the duo.the division in agp to agp and agp(p)has helped congress a bit and the lack of able and strong candidate has weakened the prospects of bjp. in guwahati the congress is likely to lose at least two seats to agp and one tp bjp. it is likely to win in the guwahati east.

The agp had fielded biren baisya in the seat butb the rebel candidate biraj kumarb sharma has put up nomination as a independent candidate. which has helped the congress and it is likely that it will retain that seat.but same is not the case in other parts of the state and it is likely that agp will attain majprity in the election, it may however fall short of simple majority and will need support from two or three other parties

Angarag Bhuyan
Journalist
Guwahati

West Bengal

Long live Revolution

Later in this month I will vote, that will the first time I will be voting.

Now lets analyse the options I have to vote :

1. Candidate 1 from Congress ,I presume , a party which claims to have struggled for indian freedom but at a time imposed emergency in state for their own benefit , now in power in center , doing a job ok with a colations boat sailing high like the raging bulls in the stock market. It seems that the stock market is deciding ecomnomics of leading a country.So , voting credibility depends on local area politics and the person who the face of the party

Candidate 2 , from the much famed TMC which managed hold on one seat in the last lokh Shaba polls which was result of extreme mismanagement by the lady who leads it. The lady leading the party seems to be as whimsical as greg Chappell is with his batting orded. So , Can i trust them with my precious vote ? Naah, I hate greg chappell , and I hate that Lady !

Cadidate 3, is from the party in power, the hailed as the great communist facade.To analyse them is a very hard job for me , I havent seen any one else in  writers since my birth.It seems we have come to position where I think we hardly think we need a change.

Hence , you might presume where my precious vote goes to.

Actually , the roots of the ruling party in Bengal is deep rooted. To quote LS speaker Somnath Chatterjee had once said to a question about what the party did for people. He said when a girl child was born in the village , a party worker would plant a mahagony sapling in the courtyard , so that after 20 years that sapling transformed into the tree would bear the cost of the girls future!

This is the power of poeple , the power of organising.People say Bengal is stuck , actually it is more of stable necessity a person needs to progress.Progress doesnt always mean availability of twin ton a/c's in every urban homes.Progress in bengal means a small village worker has earned the right to work , right to leave a life.

Progress doesnt always come with builing fancy flyovers and brilliant roads ...yes that is a part of progress i agree. Progress means to be able to think freely , to be able live our live without the underworld dons threatning.

I do agree, there are lots of wrong and corrupt people working in adminstrative post who take advantage of their a/c car to send their kid to school who make people think bad about politicians.

An efficiant admistration with a determined goverment ,sooner or later leads to state of peace.

Long live Revolution as I believe

Let the world change you and you can change the world

Subhrajyoti
Student
Kolkata

Anti-communist fort

Asansol is a constituency, which has always voted for the Anti-communist. First it was the Congress and now it is the Trinamool Congress. This is the only major constituency in South Bengal, still in the hands of anti-communists. The communists have tried times and again, but couldn't wrest this seat. Its mainly because in the urban setting of Asansol, its very difficult to rig the elections.

In zones surrounding Asansol,the constituencies of Ranigunj, Kulti, Jamuria and Hirapur are major strongholds of the Left Front, mainly because they are mostly rural areas, where the Front cadres are exremely active. In Lok Sabha elections, the amount of rigging is so much that the lead in Ranigunj alone wipes out the lead of non-communists in all these constituencies !! Left Front is here to survive till the end of Mankind because of its strong poll machinery, which no other party in India could develop. We have only one hope, ie. our CM Mr. Buddhadeb Dasgupta, who is the only man of principles left in the CPM party !!

Sabyasachi Chatterjee
Student
IIT Kharagpur

My tally

My assessment for the results of the forthcoming election in West Bengal

Left Front: 218; TMC: 46; Cong: 30; BJP:0

Bivas Mitra
PhD student
Kharagpur

Kerala

LDF's faceless campaign

Impressed by the anti globalisation and US policies enumerated in the manifesto of the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala, the Muslim outfit Jamaat-E-Islami (JI) said it would vote for the success of LDF candidates in the April/May Assembly poll in the state. INL, PDP and Jamaat-E-Islami support LDF.

There is a doubt till the other day who would be Chief Minister if the Left won the coming assembly elections in Kerala, The people want to know more about it. They have some internal problems between Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI(M) Secretary) and Achuthanandan ( Opposition leader).This winnable party has to soon zero in on a chief ministerial candidate or campaign faceless and risk losing votes.If party select VS Achuthanandan as a CM , They will lose votes. they know that so they fielded Paloli Muhammed Kutty (LDF Convenor) and  trying to get votes from Muslims.

The People of Kerala can understand all election gimmick. But in the case of UDF camp they are approaching the people with confidence on the basis of the achievements during the past five years. They are asking votes for Developement and continuety. They promise if they comeback they will full fill their policies and projects like SmartCity , Info City, Vallarpadam Rajiv gandhi terminal, Vizhinjam fort, Metro railway, Air Kerala and Kannur Airport. In 2004 UDF faced a lot of problems and cleen sweep for LDF, but The situation has changed alot.There is no hope for LDF and UDF. we can't say anything about the result now.We should wait and see.

Baby C I
Teacher

CPM's hidden agenda

For the better prospect of kerala, the people have to vote for UDF. UDF only can provide job and all. LDF hiden agenda is no job, no work. what it meaning is if the people have work, LDF all hartal and bandh will go for toss (people have job means, they will not coem for all bullsheet strikes and hartal. Thats why CPIM have a hidden agenda of jobless kerala. What ever new business will come that time they will go for a strike. What they are telling is this all are against poor people. They are not doing for the poor people.

Now in india who is the biggest bussiness group means its CPIM kerala. I praying the people of keral vote against this people. Ommen chandy is one of the best CM kerala produced. He is active and stable. He had done lot of good things. But the bullsheet Karunakaran and son destoryed all.

Shibu
Agriculturist
Thiruvananthapuram

Left in Thalassery

Thalassery is one of the oldest towns of Kerala with rich culture and heritage. It may be recalled that Thalassery is the cradle of Indian Circus and was the first cricket playing town of the country. Of late Thalassery has always stood with the left front in polls. In the polls 2006, Thalassery is witnessing a keen contest with the CPI-M fielding one of its senior leaders Mr.Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who is infact the party central commitee member and the deputy leader of the opposition in the present Kerala assembly. The UDF on the other hand has imported the firebrand Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan who is infamous for his dhoti being pulled off in front of the Congress state commitee office as part of the bitter faction feud in the party.

The CPI-M cadres told that with the arrival of Mr.Unnithan who is one of the powerful orators of the Congress in the state there is a tough fight for Mr.Kodiyeri and the party is not leaving any chances.This has resulted in Mr.Kodiyeri getting stuck to Thalassery and the CPI-M leaders and cadres who generally take the elections to Thalassery very lightly is now sweating it out in the hard sun.

In the assembly polls to 2001 Mr.Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has won the seat defeating the Congress leader Mr.Sajeev Maroli by a margin on 7200 votes and in that polls which was held in the background of the volatile killings of Kannur district where several BJP ,RSS and CPI-M leaders and cadres lost their lives, the BJP had opted to support the Congress candidate. It may be recalled that the BJP had polled more than 10,000 votes in this consituency and in the 2001 polls the party got only 3000 votes.

This is one of the major points taken care of by the CPI-M leaderhip as the party expects the BJP to poll as much votes it can .But in this elections also by the time of filing this story the BJP has not fielded any candidates ,even though there are more time to decide upon it as Thalassery is going to polls in its last phase .The BJP declared Mr K Surendran, the president of the Yuvamorcha, the party's youth wing as its candidate but the group war in the party has led to his not contesting the seat.

In the local level only Mr.Kodiyeri's presence is felt with Mr.Unnithan concentrating more on corner speeches and being an outsider to the town there is a bit of difficulty for him.

The campaing manager of Mr.Kodiyer Balakrishnan, Karayi Rajan who is the Thalassery area commite secretary of the CPI-M pooh poohed all the claims of the Congress and predicted that Mr.Kodiyeri would sail through with a victory margin of more than 12,000 votes.

The constituency is also abrupt with the claims that Mr.Kodiyeri may emerge as the Chief Minister candidate if the Left wins the majority as he can be a compromise candidate once the fight between Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan becomes bitter in the post election scenario.

This has led to a furry of activity among the middle class voters of the consituency who feels that the Chief Ministership to their own MLA is more than granted and this can be one of the galvanising points for an increase in the voter turn out .

An independent observor feels that the LDF candidate would romp home but whether there would be an increase in his majority will depend upon the political stand adopted by the BJP.Sceptics argue that Mr.Unnithan could not be brushed lightly and that these are early days for predicting a victory, but those who support for the LDF said that Thalassery has always stood with the left and the recent poll results in the Municipal elections and the last loksabha elections has given a clear edge to the left.

Reshmi Padma
Housewife
Thalassery

Tamil Nadu

Amma's return

The Election which is gonna take place in TamilNadu during MAY -2006,will see through the great Amma regaining the power again!!! Its becoz of Amma's government the law and order problem is not at all felt by the people in TN,espc chennaites!!!! and also the way in which our respectful CM dealt with the tsunami issues was awesome and was done on time.It was done inspite of the unruly condemns put out the oppositions,where their home channel Sun TV used to telecase some set of people(from their party) speaking to the media, saying that they didn even get anything from the government still.But whereas the truth is the relief measures were given to 95% of the affected people.So its totally Amma all the way,with crores of people with her to support and conquer power again!!! Congrats Amma in advance!!!!

Prabhu
Software engineer
Chennai

God bless Tamil Nadu

According to me the people who talks about all the issues in the state and doesn't cast the vote during general elections are the sport-spoilers of Tamilnadu state.

Both the main parties in the state have equal vote share.  ADMK and DMK has about each 23% of default vote bank.  Second stream parties like Congress, MDMK and PMK has about 5% each vote bank and rest of the parties have about 3-4% vote bank. Depends on the second stream party tie-up, the main party is selected for ruling. If you calculate all the vote bank of parties, this comes to around 60%. Rest 40% of the people of Tamilnadu doesn't cast their vote.  This is what happening in Tamilnadu for the last 18 years (4 general elections). 

The 40% of the people think that these parties are good for nothing to Tamilnadu state!  So, they don't cast their votes. If these people come forward and select a good candidate (who is not available in the candidate list), the state can see some good progress!

Otherwise, God bless Tamilnadu!!

SK
Manager
Tiruchengode

Trichy the aspiring IT hub

I am from Trichy, which is the heart of TamilNadu. The city is also having a better infrastructure suitable for IT industry. There are about 4 MLAs for Trichy. I think atleast the future MLAs will take care and work for the development of the city.

Anand Ramkumar
Student
Tiruchirappalli

Karunanidhi, colour TV and land

According to DMK the women of India lack of education, nutrition, liberation and most importantly a television. The Karunanidhi-led DMK party has promised a free colour TV set to every household without a television at present. Also the party has promised to distribute free lands to the poor people if the party comes back to power. But critics are already complaining that the TVs would be pre-tuned to receive only the Sun TV channels.

Sanjib K Karmee
Student
IIT-Madras

Brahmin cause

There is one community in TamilNadu, though mostly law abiding, which is subjected to Humilioations in Films, in Small screens, mostly poor and denied of even the basic rights of education. The only sin is in the past it has dominated the society. How can youngsters be punished genarations after generations for the mistakes committed by their forefathers? Will the law allow to punish a son for the acts of his dad? Pl see the relaity. Many Brahmins [so called]are cooks, temple priests, prohits, servers, temporary menial workers etc. Majority of them accept social changes and don't question the authority. Will any of the political parties take up their cause and give them some respectability. They sppek Tamil at home and yet they are considered enimies of Tamil language.

I request some political leaders openly take up their cause and give them at least access to education .

This is only an appeal.

R Krishnamurthy
Retiree
Hosur

Star wars in Mylapore

The quiet, residential locality of Mylapore is steeped in the history of Chennai. Mentions of Mylapore bring to mind the majestic Kapaleeswara temple, the famous Chitrakulam tank, the Santhome Church which is close by, and even the Dabba Chetty Stores, which is part of the city's heritage.

Mylapore will witness a star-studded fight in the upcoming elections. The ADMK has fielded S Ve Sekar, the veteran comedian, who has ruled the Tamil drama scene with his popular dramas. The DMK has allotted the constituency to Napoleon, the lanky hero who now represents Villivakkam constituency (also in Chennai).

Chennai has traditionally been a bastion of the DMK, but S Ve Sekar will be hoping to buck that trend in these elections. Two factors are in his favour. Firstly, S Ve Sekar needs no introduction at all. The same goes for Napoleon too, but the former is definitely the more popular of the two. Secondly, Mylapore is a predominantly Hindu residential area, so S Ve Sekar should be able to cash in on the Hindu vote.

Also, the voters in Mylapore might wonder why Napoleon has been shifted from the Villivakkam constituency to theirs. Indeed, there are some rumours floating around that Napoleon is not very popular in his current constituency, and his chances of re-election from there are not bright. However, he is known to be a fiery speaker, and can woo the masses. On the contrary, S Ve Sekar laces comedy even into his election speeches.

Whoever wins, Mylapore will be one of the constituencies to watch. The stars are in action, and it is heating up!

Vijay Krishna
Software engineer
Chennai

Alliance vs chemistry

I am from Coimbatore (East) consituency here both the AIADMK and DMK are pitted against each other and former mayor and former minister are contesting and since the arrival of Vaiko's party to AIADMK alliance there seems that momentum is with the AIADMK  and the party workers are happy and they are ahead of DMK in poll campaign and in general public are of the opinion that after 2004 parlimentary election AIADMK has learned a lesson and they have rolled back most of the unpopular decisions.so there is no anti AIADMK wave as in 2004 and also by breaking the DMK alliance they have neutrlised the advantage that DMK had .

By starting the poll campgin first both jayalaitha and vaiko had forced DMK Alliance to respond to their charges. Further vaiko is targeting DMKs family politics and Jaya conveying her governments acheivements. With respect to our consituence AIADMK candidate is from same consituency DMKs from neibouring consitueny, our is urban voters base normally this consistuency used to vote for congress canditates this the first time that AIADMK and DMK are contesting against each other. As of now Advantage is for AIADMK canditate Gopalakrishnan (former mayor and former Congressman) rather Mr. Palaniswamy (dmk candtitate)

P Manoharan
Businessman
Coimbatore

Comedian Vijayakant

My Humble Request for all the citizen is just use the power of democracy... Please do Vote for this election..

The major blow for Vijayakanth is, he critised other party that they promote there family but what is he doing, he has fielded his brother-in-law in kudiyatham. Is he his fan.. Has he did ground work as his Fans did..... First he must remove his dirt then he can voice against others.. He is the comedian of the virudachalam constitunecy.....Its PMK stronghold area he can't stop there success..

Mohan Samikkannu
Software engineer
Chennai

State of sycophancy

TN Ministers, CM & leading political leaders have suddenly found all the village pathways motorable and accessible including when needed walking through the fields. I only hope the public should understand the situation to really teach all the political leaders a lesson that first they are human not only just at the time of polls but also at the time of natural calamities. It is shameful for the elite and top leaders in Congress Party to just tune and dance the fame without conviction. God only should save our state from the state of cycophancy.

K V Bhaskar
CFO
Chennai

No sign of our MLA

My Constituency is Coimbatore East.  The sitting MLA is from Congress and we have not heard of him since the last elections.  It appears that the MLAs from City do not carry any responsibility or accountability since most of the citizens requirement is met by the Corporation.  There is no sign of electioneering in our constituency.  Voters are taken for granted by these people and think that the vote will come to them if they are with DMK or ADMK fold.  They have to be proved wrong by the people by casting a vote for any body other than these fronts. 

Well how many wish to waste their vote? Most people wish to vote to a party which is to their liking and to a person who is likely to win.  Unless people change their voting pattern, TN will remain like this forever.  It appears V.Gopalkrishnan, Ex Mayor has a better chance.

Shanthakumar RP
Chartered accountant
Coimbatore

Undecided voters

Now the question is to support family politics or dethroning dictator. Coalition is made only for their political and personal mailage. ADMK and DMK is not ready to serve the public. This time both the parties should be taught lesson. MDMK had its self respect but he too surendered to Garden. Both the parties calculating voters percentage by their party men and the undecided voters. If turn the pages of previous elections leading percentage is 2 to 3 %. The Undecided voters can definitely bring real chnages in this election.

Nirmalsahayaraj
Sr engineer
Chennai

What a leader needs

A leader who is going to take leadership of the government should have atleast the following skill.

1. Should be bold and active (Sometime we need a dictatorial leader to control communial violence, rowdyism, political violence and mainly terrorism)

2. Should not have family politcs

3. Should have long vision for the state growth including high technologies (sametime the leader should have good plans rather than a lot of free compliments to the people like color tv etc. for people who live below the poverty line)

4. Should encourage people for other languages other than their mother tongue

5. Should do a command role for post relief activities like tsunami, flood, earthquake

6. Should have pleasing personalities and communication skill to interact with business executives and foreign delegates

I listed some of the required skill for a qualified leader.

People who are not in any political party like me always consider the above skill for a leader. This is suitable for all states.

As far as TN concern, Selvi Jayalalitha is leading in the race. She has almost all skills and can handle any tight situation in the state. people also realize it. There is no wonder if she comes to the power again. Thanks

Suresh Kumar
Software
Bangalore

Vaiko is the star

With roughly about a month to go for the TN elections, the AIADMK alliance has stolen a march over the other alliance led by DMK. Both Jayalalitha and Vaiko had hit the strrets already and especially Vaiko is firing on all cylinders with his no-hold-barred attack on DMK leader and his family business interests (Sun TV et all).

On the other hand the DMK alliance has yet to start any organised campaigning. With only Karunanidhi as their star campaigner, who at the age of 82 has to match the energies of Jayalalitha and Vaiko they are finding it as tough as facing the April-May heat of TN. Added to this is the fiasco on the free color TV announcement on the elction manifesto of DMK -- the DMK alliance is finding it hard to get things going.

This could be real difference in both the alliances -- with any real hard issues in the election fray -- how active is the grassroots level worker of the parties is going to decide the results. In that aspect -- Jayalalitha, Vaiko and Thiruma is making the workers fired-up. The drawback in the DMK alliance is except Karunanidhi nobody can do that -- including Stalin & other DMK leaders, any of the Congress or left parties leaders.

With the oratorical skills that is matching with his mentor Karunanidhi, Vaiko is emerging as the star election campaigner for the AIADMK alliance.

MuSiva
Marketing manager
Chennai

How about e-elections?

Born in the interiors of Tamil Nadu and having to be a part of the IT boom in Chennai, I am just one of a large population that is struggling with an identity crisis.

"Elections are a big nuisance" a part of a conversation I had overheard last week at a signal on the Mount road. The traffic on the ever-busy Mount road was held up for over two hours because the Chief minister was kickstarting her campaign from a temple on the mount road. I ran an hour late to my evening classes alongside frustrated commuters, tired policemen, desperate BPO cabs and even ambulances. This was not the first instance, as even a fortnight before the mount road was congested because of the vehicles lobbying and vying at the DMK head quarters. 

I had my voter's ID registered at Vellore last week, after a repeated pester from my father, not because he wanted me vote but because I needed an identity card. My work invariably is not going to permit me go to the polls. This is just my case; imagine the condition of the thousands of Engineers in Chennai, Pune and Bangalore who aren't native to the cities. In the last Elections to the Lok-sabha I remember only one of my colleagues had been to vote of the total thirty, Chennai is his birthplace.

Visions of parties like 'Lok Paritran' are good to pass on with forwarded mails and messages, but the impact they might create on the elections would be minimal. Take this, I had to open my mailbox to copy the name of the party, I don't think the voting population of Chennai would be aware of even the name of the party. Not that I undermine their mission, I just mean it needs to be more than forwards, websites, mobile phones and multiplexes.

How about e-elections/ i- elections? mmm.. smells good, but that is not going to happen very soon is it? Even if it is going to happen the elections just change governments but not the governance do they?

Roads haven't grown but traffic has, the number of buses haven't increased but the number of commuters have and the smoke from the same old buses have. Tall buildings are getting taller but slums have remained. The cost of living has increased wait... did someone try an average of the cost of living on the whole of Chennai?

Like a new cricket ball after just a few overs, half of India is beautifully shining.

Did someone say pay slips are more important to this generation than blue stains on their fingers? Yes you got me right, at least my pay slip makes me feel my family is in no trouble.

For people like me elections are - mildly put a holiday. 

Jasche
Engineer
Chennai

Mayhem on democracy and secularism

Be it anyone who made promises over the last elections, nobody stood by that. You and I will not believe these but there are people who can believe these, and this drives the politics. Elections nowadays used to elect a better burglar. Campaigning against other party's agenda instead of gaining confidence on their own goodwill is the latest marketing gimmick in elections. When any party says free, the majority who enjoys the benefits are people who affiliated with the ruling parties. Freebies by these politicians encourage the people lazy & lethargy. People are in between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Jayalalitha a bold and intelligent lady handled the crisis situations well during natural calamities like tsunami, floods etc. She took stern measures to turn around a bankrupt treasury. No major religious/caste clashes, industrial peace, new investments in many sectors, substantial work done through the self-help groups for women has created economic boom to the BPL and rural women etc. No room for terrorism, projects like Veeranam water scheme, reduction on VCD piracy, veerapans encounter, Rain water harvesting, big projects which the state got includes emergence of Mahindra city, Siruseri IT corridor, BMW, NOKIA, Sony ericsson R& D center, Microsft which is set to invest huge amount in e-governance, ESMA & TESMA law will enhance her appeal.

She too had black marks during her regime that includes Anti-conversion bill, Sankaracharya's arrest, stampede during chennai flood relief works, Kumbakonam fire accident, Secreterait drama, Demolition notice to queen marrys college, Marks in ration cards, non implementation of VAT, Govt employee strikes, Non employement of road workers, Sasikala etc.

DMK has a big dominance on media from news paper, tv, radio and cable network. They are also part of the ruling power in Center with 13 ministers represented from our state. Their 'Sethu samuthiram' project, announcing Tamil one of the ancient languages by the center, getting big projects for the state, express highways, more train services in the state are some of the achievements that may bring more vote to their side. But on the other side, Karunanithi goes to any extent to hurt "Hindus" in many occasions. Their election promises like rice for Rs.2/- per kg, free color television shows their nervousness. There are no concrete steps taken on Cauvery / Mullai periyar water issues which are the driving force for the farmers in Tamilnadu. Interested in the well being of his own family, he lost vital support of MDMK & DP which may prove costly after 2006 polls.

Announcement of minority reservation to support Muslim voters  (supreme court has already struck down such a move in AP) will hardly help them in vote banks.

What Tamilnadu needs

In a country with millions below the poverty line, poor status of rural infrastructure (roads, water, and electricity), poor facilities for education especially to the rural poor, people need good governance. Government should take measures to make school going children till their higher education by providing free text books, financial assistance for the economically backward people, arranging jobs for 3 lakh unemployed youth.

They need promises realizable goals like better transit facilities, good quality water, feasible poverty alleviation programs etc. They need to vote for democracy and secularism. We need leaders to improve the state in a fast phase. We need more infrastructure and big projects that will give lot of revenue and employment. People don't need anymore a good bureaucrat but an efficient chief minister. Yes, whether it is AIADMK or DMK people need good governance and development from all fronts in the state.

G Sathiya Narayanan
Software engineer
Chennai

AIADMK should come back

Last year, during the same time Amma must have been thinking on how to bring her party back to the helm in TN. But the two assembly seats results was a surprise gift for her. I felt it was a good beginning for her make a strong comeback after the backfire in Parlimentary elections. But TN politics(or People to be precise) can never be predicted. Tamilians will always give a good mandate only for the change in power.

This time around there are many positives for the ADMK alliance:

* Very quick response to the Tsunami and 2005 floods by the State govt.

* Very low corruption charges of the TN Ministers.

* ADMK Party under single control (DMK has Stalin,MK,Alagiri and few more stage speakers)

* Forward looking alliance with Firebrand Speaker VAIKO.

* Transparent programs (No hidden agenda like Stalin will be the CM, TV for the common, Rice for Rs 2.)

* More women support to Amma.

* Last but not least MGR Legacy!

* Tired looking DMK,Congress,PMK alliance

Although Vijaykant has done a good job by strongly entering the electoral fray, it may be too late for him this time. One can expect him to open the account in TN but it is not definitely not easy.

Krishna Prasad
Software engineer
Bangalore

No election fever

I happen to travel between Kerala and TN. I found a striking difference between both the neighbourung states. Kerala wore a election picture even before the announcement of the election schedule whereas TN doesnt seem to match. At times you doubt if elections are around in TN.

Nazim Ali
Management
Chennai

Neck and neck

The elections in tamilnadu this time seems to be going on neck to neck fight

During the parliamentry elections the DMK led front had the lead and then came the sops by amma, and people were so mesmorized by the bicycles and others that they will now vote for now. and vaiko is an added adavnatage for her

tradionally if we analyse the demographic situation of tamilnadu,the north tamilnadu is a strong fortress of DMk and PMk,their alliance will sweep districts such as vellore, chennai, kanchi etc.

Congress has a strong presence in western districs like coimbatore, pollachi, ooty and dindugal

So if the DMk alliance campaign well they can gain well there. In the eastern and cauvery delta areas there is a mixed vote share among the DMK and ADMK and that always depends upon the sentiments of the farmers,this time the farmers are vey happy with amma, so amma will sweep in the delta regions.

In the south, no can come near ADMK's candidate and with the strength of MDMk there will clean sweep for ADMK.

The influence of communist parties are less but substantial in the industrail areas, and the congress has a traditional votebank, so theirs will neither increas or decrease.

The pathetic party here in TN is BJp which out of frustration has alligned with all the so called caste based parties and the political joker subramnia swamy,so I think theirs will TV people will never vote for caste and communal parties.

And not to forget, vijaykanth, though he may sound like good and energetic, what about his party candidates, whats their qualification, their charisma....nil

so I think only he can enter the assembly....

and calculating all these it seems there will be a slight edge for DMK alliance and for sure DMK cant win with absolute majority.

so TN people be prepared to see a first ever coalition government and congress a part of it, and once PMK men, felling trees for protest, would become ministers..

I think out of 5 states going to poll the hottest state is tn where real drama and entertainment is guranateed for any onlookers

Amirtharaj
Software enginner
Coimbatore

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