They are trying to outdo each other in the assembly polls. But the campaign for DMK patriarch K Karunanidhi and AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha actually rolls out from the same place. The workshop of Ameco Enterprises, which came into business in 1977, has been catering to the needs of Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi for the past 15 years to make modified vans for their election campaigns.
Interestingly, it is not just the top leaders but almost every political person in Tamil Nadu come to the office of Ameco enterprises to get lights, audio system fitted in their vans, to get broader and deeper chairs in their vans so that it is easier for them to commute long distances and especially get hydraulic seats fitted in these vans which can be raised for the politicians when they speak to people during public meetings and road shows.
“M Karunanidhi is an admirer of our work and he has been coming to us for the past fifteen years. We also modify vehicles for Jayalalitha during her campaign and the vehicle she is using this time was also modified by us,” said Mohammed Riaz, the owner of Ameco enterprises.
Although Riaz and his men have been catering to the specific demands of both Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi but he believes that both the politicians don’t have much taste when it comes to accessories, seat covers and upholstery.
“Both Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha don’t have a great taste. They only want comfortable seats because both of them can’t stand for long and they have to cover long distances on road during elections. The other specific demand both of them have is that they want hydraulic seats that can be raised so that they can sit and deliver their speech while still in the modified van,” Riaz added.