People's Democracy

TAMILNADU

Stage Set For Elections To Local Bodies

A A Nainar

BY the time this issue comes out in print, the 4.65 crore voters of the state of Tamilnadu would have exercised their franchise for electing representatives to their local bodies in the two phase elections scheduled on October 13 and 15. Thanks to relentless public pressure and positive intervention of courts, elections to local bodies in the state of Tamilnadu are now being held regularly and on time. During the seventies and the eighties this was not the case. 

The last elections to local bodies were held in the background of a victory of AIADMK in the May 2001 assembly elections. However, due to the obstinate stand of the leading parties, the allies had fallen apart and there were multi-cornered contests. The CPI(M) had contested independently and could make impressive gains. The DMK and the AIADMK shared most of the seats amongst themselves with Congress bagging substantial number of seats.

This time when the notification for the local bodies election was issued on September 19, 2006, the DMK-led DPA government had assumed power in the state defeating the AIADMK-led alliance in the May 2006 assembly elections. Well before the notification came, there were serious confabulations amongst the political parties in alliance making and seat sharing. The DPA was intact and clinched the seat sharing arrangement with the Congress and the PMK. It also held discussions with the Left parties, which were supporting the government, and concluded a fair distribution of posts of chairpersons in various local bodies amongst them. Unlike the earlier elections, this time the election of chairpersons will be held indirectly. 

The AIADMK-led front has been in disarray and the Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) party which was part of that alliance in the assembly elections, walked out to join the front led by the DMK. This has come as a morale booster for the DPA parties and their ranks.

With the announcement of the final list on October 1, the stage is set for a big democratic exercise in the state. The 4,64,19,395 voters will elect 1,30,692 representatives for the six corporations, 102 first grade municipalities, 50 third grade municipalities, 561 town panchayats, 385 panchayat unions, 29 district panchayats and numerous village panchayats. The counting will be held on October 18. But for the village panchayat chairmen and village panchayat ward members, elections for all other positions will be held on party basis –– on the symbols of the political parties.

There are about 4,73,335 candidates in the fray for the 1,30,692 positions when the final list was announced. The strengthening of the local bodies and upgrading their efficacy has been a subject matter for discussion during every local body elections. The CPI(M) released a separate manifesto on the October 5 highlighting allocation of more funds to the local bodies and devolution of more powers to them. The priority tasks of building rural infrastructure, increased investment in agriculture and generation of rural employment were also brought to focus by the Party.

The CPI(M) is contesting majority of the seats by arrangement with the DMK, in 8 first grade municipalities, 4 third grade municipalities, 45 town panchayats, 25 panchayat unions and 3 district panchayats. In addition to this, the CPI (M) will be contesting lesser number of seats depending on their strength in the other bodies too. The CPI(M) was able reach seat sharing arrangement in majority of the districts. But in Chennai and places like Salem, no seat sharing understanding could be reached and hence the Party is contesting independently. As is common in such elections, there have been violations of seat arrangement and rebel candidates are in the fray in many places. This is however on a very low scale compared to the total number of posts.

One of the notable features of the current elections is that the DMK has acceded to the CPI(M)’s request to continue the reservation to four panchayats viz., Pappapatti, Keerippatti. Nattarmangalam and Kottackachiendal. As is known, during the last decade the caste Hindus did not permit any of the dalit community people to get elected to the posts reserved for them. With this decision to continue the reservation for another decade, many such cases would mushroom in future. When the final list was announced with the support of the Left parties, there are dalit contestants in all those four villages. Meanwhile, an assembly bye-election had taken place on October 11 for the Madurai central assembly constituency. The counting of votes for this will take place on October 17. The progressive people of the state are eagerly awaiting the victory for the forces of democracy in this round of elections also. 

(October 10, 2006)