Amma's grip - firm as ever!
Amma's grip - firm as ever!
Everyone I have spoken to from Tamil Nadu or knowledgeable in TN politics always criticize Jayalalitha. I hear stories about long-delayed projects, corruption, favoritism, sycophantism, etc. But these don't seem to have made any impacts on the minds of the people in Kancheepuram and Gummidipoondi. When it was time to vote, they swept in the AIADMK, notwithstanding the recent controversy at the Kanchi Mutt and the arrests of the Shankaracharyas.
I enjoy reading T.V.R. Shenoy's articles and respect his political acumen. So this quote from him surprised me:
Jayalalitha is probably one of the finest administrators in India today. Whether it is maintaining law and order or prodding the bureaucracy to ensure civic services, Chennai is a nicer place to live than, say, Mumbai, Delhi, or perhaps even Bangalore. And the fact is that her government did a better job of relief and rehabilitation in the wake of the tsunami than neighbouring Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, and anyone who speaks of 'bungling' in Tamil Nadu should take a good hard look at its neighbours."
That should score him more than a few brownie points with Amma. Either he is completely out of touch with reality or I am talking to the wrong people about TN politics! I suspect it is less of the first (what can I say, I am a TVR fan) and more of the latter. I guess her victory can be attributed to her sincerity. Or her shrewdness in pulling in the sympathy vote. Smart administrator or not, she sure is a astute politician. It is not easy to beat an allinace with the likes of DMK, Congress, MDMK, PMK... in it!! Read the full article here.
This is the second home-coming for the erstwhile actress, the first being the 1998 polls after Rajni's famous words "Even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalitha is voted back to power" sealed her fate in the 1996 Assembly polls. Politics sure is a funny game! Who would have imagined Rajni and Jayalalitha on the same stage. :D
posted by Balakumar @ 7:24 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Bala - Cent percent true. Atlast i found a blogger reflecting the same views as mine.
Well, I do think that J is a much better administrator than any of the recent CMs we have had. I know first hand that shes handled the treasury much well than KK (my mom was workin ther). And the fact is that handling the tsunami was pretty impressive (although if u r constrained to sun news, u wud think otherwise). Shes done a lot more in terms of fields like science, temples n so forth. I do think in TN, its always a case of choosing the better of two rogues, and I do think the choice is pretty rational, though I wouldnt comment on the legality of the votes! I would halt now as I can do nothing to make the administration a tad better!
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