As elections to rural local bodies will be held soon in Tamil Nadu, here is a look at the wider canvas of issues that have come up in the elections in nine districts.
TeaElections to rural local bodies for about 24,000 seats in nine districts, which are due on October 6 and 9, would have been a routine affair, as they are a part of the elections held in December 2019. But, in May this year. Fort St George, the seat of power in Tamil Nadu, saw a change of guard in the assembly elections with the AIADMK losing power to the DMK, which remained in opposition for 10 consecutive years. The political change and subsequent events give a new context to the elections to local bodies in which the traditional party-based system is for members of panchayat unions and wards of district panchayats. In the parlance of political parties, a ward of a panchayat union is called a 5,000-member ward and a ward of a district panchayat is called a 50,000 electoral ward. The partyless system of election is followed in respect of ward members and presidents of village panchayats.
Naturally, the ruling DMK and its allies see these elections as an opportunity to garner public support, which they repeated five months ago. With their alliance intact, they are looking forward to romance in the house this time too. Since the new government is not even six months old, its supporters believe that there can hardly be anything against it. According to the ruling coalition, the AIADMK-led opposition front has been weakened by the exit of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which has decided to go it alone. In seven of the nine electoral districts in the Northern Territory, the PMK is considered a strong force. Its spokesperson K. “Results of local body elections”, says Balu [which will be out from October 12] We will again demonstrate that we are the third force in the state.”
It is not that there is no ruckus within the ruling party. For example, according to information available on the website of the State Election Commission (SEC), in a ward of the Tenkasi Panchayat Union in the south, the Communist Party of India and the DMK have fielded their candidates. CPI(M) state secretary K. Balakrishnan acknowledges that the seat-sharing system, which occurs in connection with Lok Sabha and assembly elections, does not work the same way in the case of local bodies. “Where there is an understanding of seat-sharing, we, the Left, are fighting the elections together as part of a broad coalition. At the same time, where there is no agreement, we are contesting the elections separately. However, there is no problem among all our partners at the state level.
DMK General Secretary and Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan dismissed reports of thunderstorms as irrelevant and said the alliance was fighting the elections united. “In some places, there may be inevitable candidates, but the strength of their party may not be enough to give seats to the parties of such candidates,” he explains. He says that apart from the DMK government’s welfare measures in the last five months, the way COVID-19 has been handled, it will put the government in a good position.
However, the AIADMK, despite suffering a recent electoral setback, is not lagging behind its arch rival in its quest for power at the grassroots. Its two prominent leaders, Edappadi K. Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam, who did not personally participate in the election campaign in December 2019, has decided to adopt a different strategy this time by visiting nine districts.
While the main opposition party has accommodated the BJP in several wards of panchayat unions and district panchayats, the Tamil Manila Congress (Moopanar) has been allotted only panchayat union wards. Nevertheless, this front also suffers from the problem of one component taking over the other. In Kallakurichi district panchayat ward, the BJP is pitted against the dominant party.
The PMK’s departure from the AIADMK-led alliance may result in a loss of some votes in the north, “but it has raised the possibility of my party being closer to the non-Vaniyar backward classes and scheduled castes,” says one. Senior AIADMK leader in the region. He is confident that his party will maintain its vote base, if it is not increasing its share. In support of this argument, he refers to the spirit with which former law minister in Villupuram and party strongman CV Shanmugam is working in the district. Other parties in the fray are Naam Tamilar Katchi, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Makkal Nidhi Maiyam and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.
important to people
Rural local body elections are not only important for the parties. They are also of greater importance to the people, as they bring them closer to the institutions of local self-government. General Secretary of civil society organization ‘Thannatchi’ S. “I could see more youth participation this time than two years ago,” says Nandakumar. He was part of a group of activists under the banner of Gandhiyam Muneduppom Kuttiyakkam that went to five electoral districts in August to assess the mood and make people aware of the importance of rural local bodies. Also, women and members of self-help groups and persons with disabilities have enthusiastically participated in the voting process, he points out.
Another worker of Walajabad Panchayat Sangh in Kancheepuram district, S. Gokul has keenly pondered the growing interest of the youth in the electoral process. “In the last five years, when there was no elected body, in the absence of elected presidents and in the presence of special officers, more youth participated in Gram Sabha meetings than before. They have increased their interest in the electoral battle,” says Mr. Gokul, noting that the “social capital” of young candidates doing important work in their village panchayats is getting even better reception than the “money power” of some candidates.
However, E. Vidhubala, a psycho-oncologist and social activist based out of Tirunelveli district, believes that a lot has to be done at the grassroots level to reap the real benefits of elected local bodies. There are more women this time than ever before; But, invariably, they are seen as behind the scenes of their husbands. Generally, there is reluctance among many sections to contest elections. Dr. Vidhubala says, “And even if you do genuine social work, you are seen as a person who is doing it for personal gain during elections.” Gram Sabha meetings.
The state has to pass through several stages to be recognized as a pioneer in the Panchayati Raj Institutions. A section of activists and academicians are optimistic that Tamil Nadu can be a trendsetter with its many inherent benefits. He explains how the state is continuing its party-less system for village panchayats, despite obstructing the functioning of some Scheduled Caste chairpersons. V. Raghupati, an educationist, says, “It is believed that if the presidents are elected on a party basis, they will get the support of their parties, which will now take care of their problems.”
The State Election Commission has started the preparatory work for the elections to the Urban Local Bodies.
Ever since the elections to urban local bodies under the Municipalities Act began 25 years ago, the success stories of these municipal bodies and councilors are few and far between. It is for this reason that this approach – the potential of activists like Mr. Nandakumar and Mr. Gokul to act as a positive influence on urban local bodies at the village level – gains credibility.
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