If you aspire to become an election candidate in Jayaram Jayalalithaa’s All India Anna Dravida Munnethra Kazhagham (AIADMK) party, you should first visit the likes of Baba Ramdev. For, as long as Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader) delivers her fiery speech, the candidate has to stand on the dais like a statue with folded hands, something that requires yoga-like skills.
On Friday, at Kanchipuram, Jayalalithaa delivered her usual hour-long speech at a rally. And the candidate — E Ramakrishnan — stood stock still in a namaskar pose. At the fag end of her speech, Jayalalithaa mentioned his name (for the first and last time) and Ramakrishnan’s body moved — his folded hands went up above his head.
If you aspire to be a reporter covering Dravida Munnethra Kazhagham (DMK) patriarch M Karunanidhi’s press conference, you will need skills of a different sort to tackle the security guards. As the chief minister climbed on the dais to address his last press conference in April, the security detail (from Tamil Nadu Police Special Branch) crouched like Carl Lewis on the starting blocks at the 1994 Olympics — ready to pounce on any journalist who moved ahead (one mustachioed Lewis even held on to the trousers of a journalist while the latter took notes).
Still, the two top leaders of the state seem to have swapped their campaign styles for this election. In the 2004 Lok Sabha election, Karunanidhi, referred as Doctor Kalaignar (artiste), flew by chopper and Jayalalithaa hit the road. This time, Amma is flying while 85-year-old Karunanidhi, currently in hospital, travels mostly by road.
Jayalalitha is covering all 40 constituencies including Puducherry with the help of her chopper, while Karunanidhi has confined himself to few rallies and road shows. In May, Karunanidhi had scheduled only five public meetings but that might change once Congress President Sonia Gandhi visits. In the last election, Jayalalitha couldn’t reach every constituency because she used a vehicle. This time, it is Karunanidhi who is making selective appearances.
Earlier Jayalalitha’s campaign used to start only after 4 p m and continue till 10 p m. Now, she is even addressing rallies at 1 p m.
The DMK-led front has two more parties — the Congress and the Dalit-based Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). VCK is fighting in two seats, the Congress in 16 and the DMK in 21. The DMK is sharing a seat with IUML from its own quota.
In Jayalalitha’s camp, apart from the 23 seats that AIADMK is contesting, PMK is contesting seven seats, MDMK four and CPI and CPI(M) three each.
But there are interesting similarities too. On Jayalalitha’s podium, only Jaya TV’s camera is allowed on stage so that her channel beams live coverage of her rallies. At Karunanidhi’s press conference, all other channels have their cameras set at the end of the room but the Kalaignar TV cameraman enjoys the privilege of standing separately in front.
No channels can place their microphones in front of Karunanidhi; he has a dedicated microphone. And if any other leader has to speak, he will use a cordless microphone and a police officer will hold a portable speaker in front of the crowd.
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