Why fear when annan is near
Probe searches appear to have become a new bonding exercise for DMK leaders K. N. Nehru and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. When CCB officials searched Mahesh’s Tiruchy residence on September 16 over a private school approval fraud, Nehru stood by him. Three weeks earlier, Mahesh had similarly stood by Nehru at his residence during a DVAC search. Mahesh later summed up their bond: “If there is any issue for me, Nehru annan will come; if there is any issue for him, I will be the first to come.” Durai Vaiko, however, ended it with a punchline, saying that Anbil Mahesh lost the previous polls because of that same annan.
Vivanesh Parthiban
Bending low to regain ground
Humility appears to be the latest prescription for the DMK’s bypoll campaign. A party veteran, known for his verbal flourishes, has advised cadres to shed their complacency and get closer to voters, right down to their feet if necessary. There was talk of a “mayavi” to vanquish and a solemn pledge to take, but the practical advice was decidedly down to earth. The emotional appeal came wrapped in nostalgia for the party’s old fighting spirit, while the immediate concern was winning Dharapuram and Madurantakam. Pride, apparently, can wait until the votes are counted. For now, the party’s battle cry seems to be: keep your feet firmly on the ground.
Prabhakar Tamilarasu
The long wait for transparency
Urban local body recruitment has finally reached the TNPSC, though the idea apparently predates the government now implementing it. The minister in the previous regime who sought the reform is said to have encountered resistance, before eventually being sidelined. Transparency, it seems, was a worthy ambition, but some cabinet colleagues apparently had other promises to keep. The new government has now pushed the reform through, giving its anti-corruption plank some institutional muscle. The move also leaves an interesting question hanging: what took so long? With more recruitment reforms in the pipeline, the TNPSC may soon have more homework to mark.
B Anbuselvan
Muted on the matter
Recently, BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathy questioned the silence of political parties and sections of the Tamil media over the Gem Granites Veeramani child sexual abuse case, a case hardly small enough to be swept under the carpet. The silence has been deafening. But there is a catch. Even within BJP, the spokesperson’s condemnation appears to be a solo performance, with several senior BJP leaders yet to publicly condemn the allegations. Meanwhile, social media has ensured the case doesn’t disappear, with TVK supporters among those keeping it alive by tagging media channels and political leaders. There is also curiosity on “What action would those who tried to mute the investigation face after the scandal surfaced last year?”
Subashini Vijayakumar
(Compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E)
