While the ruling AIADMK partymen are keenly awaiting the release of their party supremo Jayalalithaa from Bangalore central prison, people are quite anxious to know the efficacy of the new administration.
Except for Jayalalithaa, there is no change in the government set-up. But in an AIADMK government, she is the one who calls the shots. The policy framework has been set. The senior bureaucrats hand-picked by her, starting with adviser Sheela Balakrishnan, are there to guide the new government headed by O. Panneerselvam who is a seasoned politician now.
Bureaucrats claim the governance will not be paralysed and that it will be business as usual. Still, the doubts persist. For instance, what will happen to Monorail, Jayalalithaa’s pet project for the city, could give a clue. In its final stages, the monorail project needs a definitive push from the government. Can the present government deliver?
Secrecy surrounds the selection of the next Chief Electoral Officer of the State. Though the names of three probable candidates for the CEO post are kept “extremely confidential,” the present CEO Praveen Kumar’s successor could very well be a younger IAS officer.
The selection of the successor has become crucial as the general elections to the State Assembly are due in one-and-a-half years. Given the job requirements of the CEO, that too in Tamil Nadu where the culture of cash for vote has crept in at all levels, the officer has to have stature so that he commands respect among Collectors who are District Election Officers and feels comfortable in flagging and discussing issues with Chief Secretary and other senior officials of the State government. Besides, he or she should be able to have a smooth working relationship with the top brass of the Election Commission in New Delhi. CEO Praveen Kumar is from the 1987 batch. The new CEO could be an IAS officer from 1985 to 1993 batches, says a source in the Commission. As the draft electoral rolls are scheduled to be published by October 15, the announcement on the new CEO is expected shortly.
While the conviction and imprisonment of AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa has sent shock waves among the party cadre, many of them tend to believe the conspiracy theories doing the rounds. Some felt that the trial should have been conducted anywhere except Karnataka, given the former Chief Minister’s vehement stand on the Cauvery issue.
A few others rued the misfortune befalling successive elected representatives from the Srirangam constituency in recent years. The DMK’s T.P. Mayavan and the AIADMK’s Ku.Pa. Krishnan, K.K. Balasubramanian and M. Paranjothi have all witnessed fluctuating fortunes after being elected from Srirangam. But, most partymen here would like to believe that the AIADMK supremo will stage a strong come back.
Demonstrations and fasts for early release of “Amma” (as former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is addressed) by the members of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam are happening everywhere in Tamil Nadu. Some of them pelted stones at public transport corporation buses. A few others offered prayers and pujas at places of worship. There were people who even attempted to end their lives. When such is the activity, the partymen in Madurai planned something different.
They roped in the family members to join them for a day-long fast at Munichalai.
Mayor Rajan Chellappa’s wife, TN Cooperation Minister Sellur K. Raju’s wife, and Madurai MP R. Gopalakrishnan’s wife, were among others, who came and sat at the venue along with the cadres.
Though there were requests from the gallery asking the women to address, they simply preferred to sit silent. (The Hindu)
