Uncertainty looms large over Amma’s bastion
The Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to cancel the April 12 by-election to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu does not come as a surprise. The ECI had been flooded with complaints that money power was freely being used to influence the voters of the sensitive constituency, once represented by AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa and now being fought for not just by the AIADMK and the DMK but also by the two factions of the AIADMK that are contesting on separate symbols. Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer's report, submitted to the ECI clinched the issue. The commission said that the by-poll would be held in due course of time “when the vitiating effect created by the distribution of money and gift items to allure the electors…gets removed with the passage of time and the atmosphere in the constituency becomes conducive to the holding of free and fair election”. The two AIADMK factions led respectively by O Panneerselvan and VK Sasikala have been engaged in a bitter, no-holds-barred tussle to claim Jayalalithaa's legacy, and the by-election has become a prestige issue for them. Neither side has stopped at ethical barriers — one camp even created an artificial coffin complete with Jayalalithaa's image and took it in a procession in the constituency. A few days ago, the Income Tax department raided the State's Minister for Health and his associate. The tax sleuths findings revealed the routing of nearly Rs 90 crore for ‘distribution to voters' of RK Nagar. With so much money already circulating among the voters, there was no way the election could be held in a free and fair manner. Tax documents leaked to the media showed that the Sasikala faction had given the money to seven Ministers for distribution in the constituency to ensure that the people voted for its candidate, TTV Dinakaran. There is talk that even Chief Minister EK Palaniswami was given a target in the funds distribution. While these accusations are based on preliminary findings of the tax authorities, including the Central Board of Direct Taxes, a thorough probe is needed to arrive at the truth and those involved must be brought to book. Now that the by-poll has been cancelled and the tax authorities are probing the case, one must await the outcome. Meanwhile, there is no clarity on when the poll panel will deem the situation conducive to conduct the election.
Besides the cash-for-votes issue, there were allegations that the rival AIADMK factions were misleading the voters over their party symbols. It may be recalled that the ECI had frozen the ‘Two leaves' symbol of the AIADMK after both groups claimed to be the real AIADMK but none could establish their contention. Apparently, leaders of both camps had been going around in the constituency, claiming ownership of the Two leaves symbol. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to watch the political fallout of the tax raids and the impact it will have on the rival DMK's fortunes.