Electoral Power in some places seems to be based more on bullets and wallets than ballots. These were the words not from a journalist or a hardcore critic saying the truth. But believe me, they were from the horse's mouth. Mr. T.S. Krishnamurthy, Election Commissioner, Govt. of India, in the convocation address delivered in a local college recently made blistering attacks on the Indian democracy. He went on to say, "Political parties are mushrooming everyday, not based on sound ideologies but on the basis of dividing civil society".

He came down heavily not only on the swadeshi democratic systems, but on the global level too. Although about 120 states could possibly claim that among the world's 190 and odd countries, to have democracies in some form or the other, the citizens of the 120 cannot say to be totally free in the true sense of the word and many of them were only phoney democracies. And in these phoney democracies, apart from rigged press and gagged courts, violence and corruption flourish in such friendly environment, and do undermine the democratic codes. 

The fever has set for the DMK front more glaringly in the rural belts/districts. Though not new to Indian democracy this time the noise is at its heights, with modern trend in hypes, in the utilisation of the govt. machinery for the publicity blitz of the ruling party. Mega functions with glossy invitation cards carrying the "official photographs" of the Chief Minister, each even costing Rs. 20/-, seventy meters wide stages erected that too by the PWD or city corporation authorities and Panchayat heads, blaring mikes voicing propaganda songs and skits all through the day, paraphernalia of the ministers and the district collectors synonymously functioning like the district heads of the party, in the guise of certain govt. schemes or buildings getting inaugurated, the roving state ministers crying loudly about the achievements of the DMK chief, Karunanidhi, and of the Prince of Wales. Yes it is Mr. Stalin, the worshipful Mayor of the Universe. 

Be it declaring opening a new block of a govt. school, row houses, samathuvapurams, latrine blocks in a hamlet, mini overhead tanks where water resources are yet to be identified, the VVIP earmarked is Stalin, a frequent visitor to Trichy. Large cut outs, welcome arches, eight by six feet colourful posters, fifteen kg. of garlands, etc. have become permanent features of nuisance along with traffic regulations in the city. They are all strictly official functions, to grant protocol formalities to the Mayor and conveniently, the Mayor of Trichy, Mrs. Punithavalli Palaniyandi, of Tamil Maanila Congress had already breathed her last and the Chennai guardian is the guardian for all the towns and villages of Tamil Nadu.

The power game of the machinery vary from TWAD Board, TNEB, Universities, city corporations, Govt. schools and even colleges, Town Panchayats and village administrators, the key persons on their toes ever to obey in the bandwagon, the main focus being to canvas vote banks in favour of the ruling party. Well, how come one can get so much of beneficial schemes and crores of money spent for your village and municipal wards, otherwise question those ministers, MLAs, MPs and the obedient IAS Officers and Engineers. Most of the festivities take place only in the late evenings with halogen and florescent light fittings glowing all through. The media is obliging enough to accord coverage for the events, be it a 14-hour tour of the constituencies, with inauguration of bus shelters and noon meal centres enroute the big caravans; or the "the punctual" events taking place at 2100 hrs, just before the Chennai Mayor or State Minster could catch the Rock Fort Express from Trichy Junction after special detention of the train for some minutes.

There is no exception, the entire breed of print media, with or without any political bias carry headlines, highlighting the achievements and milestones of the ruling government. The newspapers be it in English or vernacular have the best make ups and costumes to report what the govt. had done to cure the ailing public, the previous night? And they are duty bound to do so! Would you like to taste samples taken from the morning dailies of the preceding weeks?

• The DMK Govt. has built memorials for Congress, Communist leaders says M. Karunanidhi at Coimbatore. He will build memorials for others too is the inference or clue the voter has to draw here.
• M. Karunanidhi was responsible for computer revolution in TN thunders the Revenue minister Rehman Khan at Karur.
• Ko Si Mani claims 80 per cent habitations get protected water supply. Does anybody have the time to verify this before the polls?
• Tamil Nadu is the only state with lowest power cut, says Arcot Veeraswamy justifying the illuminations made.
• Beautification - Singara Chennai would be a continuous process in the forthcoming decades says Mr. Stalin while addressing villagers at Lalgudi.
• Union Minister T.R. Baalu (DMK) has launched sincerely river-cleaning projects, just now, a well-timed gimmick. 

The renovation works of the massive temple complex at Srirangam is being done in a war footing, to lure Lord Ranganathan to vote for DMK. Will they be blessed?

P. Soundararajan