Albeit the “like-never-before” Election Commission crackdown on several fronts, the poll heat has finally picked up in the Dravidian heartland with leaders of various political parties making pit stops during their whirlwind tours to cover maximum ground before the April 13 polls.
Leading the electioneering show was octogenarian DMK president M. Karunanidhi who started his campaign from Kolathur for his son and party treasurer M.K. Stalin and subsequently wooed voters mid-noon for his long-time associate and octogenarian DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan in Villivakkam constituency. The five-time Chief Minister did not stop with the city. He went all the way to Villupuram, accompanied by PMK founder, Dr S. Ramadoss, and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan in a few places.
An equally hard working AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa started from Gobichettipalayam and travelled all the way to Salem where she took on regional DMK strongman Veerapandi S. Arumugam the way she did Union minister M.K. Alagiri in Madurai.
Telugu star Chiranjeevi, who made waves in Andhra Pradesh and merged his Praja Rajyam Party with the Congress recently, made a whirlwind tour of Chennai region and campaigned for the DMK-Congress combine in Tiruvallur, Tiruttani and Avadi.
Likewise, national party leaders like BJP’s Sushma Swaraj and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan also campaigned for their party and alliance candidates in the state. Mr Bardhan campaigned for AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa at Srirangam from where she is contesting this time.
DMDK leader Vijayakanth campaigned in his Rishivandiyam constituency.
While the ruling DMK and allies banked on the development and welfare plank, Ms Jayalalithaa and her allies centered their campaign on DMK’s dynastic politics and corruption.