Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is known to be a voracious reader. I'm sure she has read Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends & Influence People". As the pendulum swings every five years in Tamil Nadu, that's what the Chennai Super Queen has been doing every decade. Winning allies and influencing voters. Every new innings has been the result of a huge comeback; a landslide victory that would make psephologists eat humble pie. I've reported extensively on Amma's election campaigns, her second innings and the start of her third stint.
2011, in some measure, comes across as an encore of 2001, in more ways than one! I'm not merely referring to the Michael Jackson style wave and the flashing of the victory sign to the sea of supporters from her balcony that I witnessed outside Poes Garden
So after one year in office, what does Jayalalithaa's report card look like?
Comparisons can be odious. To be fair to Jayalalithaa, her performance must be viewed keeping in mind, two important facts. First, running a Govt not as an ally of a ruling coalition at the Centre is not quite the same as a regime with a 'Most Favoured State
Against this backdrop, Jayalalithaa's Robert Frost like 'I have promises to keep' persistence deserves encomiums. From free rice to mixers and grinders, cows & goats, laptops, the list goes on. This was enough to prompt one of her Ministers to break into a customary adulatory tone with this gem: "All along our hearts used to beat 'Lub Dub, Lub Dub. Now it's Laptop, laptop!" Doling out freebies after inheriting a huge debt, calls for a great deal of financial skill. That's a big tick mark.
Talking of freebies, would inverters be a good bet?! When Karunanidhi gave ration rice for a rupee, (a DMK election catchphrase coined by former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, then was 'a kilo and a hello for one rupee!) and free TVs in 2006, that needed cable connections for a hundred rupees, there were questions raised by critics. Now, is it pertinent to ask: 'Mixers & grinders but no power?' The State is reeling under a massive power shortage, exacerbated by the Centre's refusal to pitch in, despite repeated pleas for help. If Chennai faces a two hour power cut every day in peak summer, there are districts that suffer up to 8 hour outages. Power is well and truly the Govt's nemesis. Quite like Mathematics on my school report card, this singular issue is pulling down the overall score.
Talking of freebies, would inverters be a good bet?! When Karunanidhi gave ration rice for a rupee, (a DMK election catchphrase coined by former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, then was 'a kilo and a hello for one rupee!) and free TVs in 2006, that needed cable connections for a hundred rupees, there were questions raised by critics. Now, is it pertinent to ask: 'Mixers & grinders but no power?' The State is reeling under a massive power shortage, exacerbated by the Centre's refusal to pitch in, despite repeated pleas for help. If Chennai faces a two hour power cut every day in peak summer, there are districts that suffer up to 8 hour outages. Power is well and truly the Govt's nemesis. Quite like Mathematics on my school report card, this singular issue is pulling down the overall score.
And the biggest plus point? Ask any average resident of Tamil Nadu about the AIADMK's biggest USP; and you will get a stock reply: Law & Order. You will not come across cops making excuses like "our hands are tied" during the AIADMK rule. A free hand is the hallmark of effective policing - a simple prescription that led to the elimination of the Veerappan menace during her previous tenure. This matters more than fund allocation for the police budget. If officers are to be believed, the khakhi clad dept doesn't have party workers poking their noses into their work.
Like a shrewd captain, Jayalalithaa knows how to pick the best players in the bureaucracy and where to field the right hands just like she did during that massive tsunami reconstruction project. The first posting soon after being sworn in as Chief Minister was that of JK Tripathy as the Chennai Police Commissioner. A tough, no nonsense, honest officer with a firm grasp of city policing, his appointment resulted in many rowdy gangs taking to their heels! K Ramanujam, known for his high integrity and a seasoned intelligence officer as the State Police Chief, the US educated S George, who was sidelined by the previous Govt as his second in command and to also oversee the entire crackdown on land grabbing, Sheila Priya who had a record stint as Secretary to the Governor as her main trusted lieutenant, along with good officers like Rama Mohan Rao & Ramalingam, Debendranath Sarangi, an efficient officer as the Chief Secretary, Amaresh Pujari, with his rich experience in the Intelligence Bureau, as the IG Intelligence & Dr J Radhakrishnan, former Nagapattinam Collector during the tsunami to head the implementation of Special Programmes, speak volumes about the intention of the Govt. What's noteworthy is that many officers who held plum positions in the DMK Govt were not sent to the boondocks but have been posted in key positions, some like Dr Karthikeyan, were even retained as Chennai Corporation Commissioner. Bringing back retired DGP R Nataraj as the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission to ensure that the body that was involved in a scam earlier, is "more about service and not about 'commission' was a masterstroke.
However, the sudden transfer of Sheela Rani Chunkath from the Home Dept, the young dynamic IT Secretary Santhosh Babu, PWC Davidar and five Transport Commissioners in one year, have been discussed in hush tones in the Secretariat.
If there were doubts expressed about the competence of a particular law officer, the appointment of PH Arvindh Pandian, as Tamil Nadu's youngest Additional Advocate General has certainly sent the right signals in legal circles. With the disproportionate assets case in Bengaluru still quite a thorn in her flesh, Jayalalithaa will need all the acumen at her command to overcome the last legal hurdle placed by her bete noire.
The handling of the Mullaperiyar stand-off - along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border and then the legal battle that the State recently won on raising the height of the dam - are feathers in Amma's cap.
The convent educated Chief Minister, who has often said that she would have become a top notch lawyer, had she not entered tinsel town, seems very comfortable in corporate conclaves, rubbing shoulders with world leaders, like Hillary Clinton and business tycoons. Tamil Nadu has well and truly emerged as the Detroit of Asia with automobile goliaths like Yamaha, Daimler, Eicher & Nissan, among others setting up shop here. The huge employment spin off is too conspicuous to be missed. However, there are murmurs about clearances for building sanction plans and some other projects being mired in red tape. Political opponents cite the delay in the approval of the renovated portion of the MA Chidambaram cricket stadium, under the auspices of BCCI Chief N Srinivasan, said to be close to the Marans, as an example. However officials insist it boils down to rules and there is nothing political about it.
Jayalalithaa, has time and again, demonstrated her crisis management skills. We saw that during the tsunami in the past and we've seen that with the response to the devastation caused by the 'Thane' cyclone. When sufficient vitamin-M didn't seem forthcoming from the Centre, she made an appeal to the public that opened the floodgates to donations.
If it was banning religious conversions the last time that caused heartburn among Christians, it is a different sort of conversion that has sparked criticism from many quarters! The decision to convert the new Secretariat Complex and the Anna Centenary Library - both pet projects of Karunanidhi, into hospitals may not have been what the doctor ordered and will have to stand the test of judicial scrutiny. To some extent, goodwill of the laptop scheme for students may have been dented by the Government's perceived intransigence over the Uniform School Syllabus; ultimately resolved by the Supreme Court.
Taking tough decisions is not new to the 64 year old Chief Minister. Government employees who resorted to a strike the last time, got a taste of the iron hand. That hand resurfaced just after the Sankarankovil by poll and took the Koodankulam protestors, who thought the State Govt was on their side, by surprise. A placard: "Why is the Govt slapping cases of waging war against the State on thousands of its own people who are peacefully campaigning for solar energy as against the hazards of nuclear power?" summed up the standoff. AIADMK insiders point out that their Amma who pioneered the rain water harvesting scheme and who has now banned plastics and is setting up another tiger reserve in Sathyamangalam, needs no environmental lessons from anyone. And that the nod for Koodankulam was given only after a safety audit.
Taking tough decisions is not new to the 64 year old Chief Minister. Government employees who resorted to a strike the last time, got a taste of the iron hand. That hand resurfaced just after the Sankarankovil by poll and took the Koodankulam protestors, who thought the State Govt was on their side, by surprise. A placard: "Why is the Govt slapping cases of waging war against the State on thousands of its own people who are peacefully campaigning for solar energy as against the hazards of nuclear power?" summed up the standoff. AIADMK insiders point out that their Amma who pioneered the rain water harvesting scheme and who has now banned plastics and is setting up another tiger reserve in Sathyamangalam, needs no environmental lessons from anyone. And that the nod for Koodankulam was given only after a safety audit.
The 2001 midnight arrest of Karunanidhi may have backfired. But that didn't deter the AIADMK Govt this time, from cracking down on land grabbing and arresting almost three fourth of the erstwhile DMK cabinet. The vendetta card was predictably flagged by the DMK. But with the party that is not even the principal opposition in the assembly, ensured that the backlash was minimal, if at all.
Setting her own house in order, quite literally, Jayalalithaa even expelled her aide Sasikala and the entire 'Garden Coterie' that observers felt were interfering in areas that didn't concern them, was a bold move. Sasikala, of course, is back after an explanation. But the line between household and government and party, one hears, has been clearly drawn.
Contrary to common perception, Jayalalithaa can be quite courteous to the media. She is one political leader who, no matter what, will always wish you back, when you greet her. When she took over as Chief Minister for the first time in 1996, she started on a great note, in the absence of a real political opposition, requesting the media to play that role. But in course of time, the equation changed. In her second innings, about a hundred defamation cases were slapped against mediapersons but later withdrawn. Last year, as she drove in to Fort. St. George, her promise or rather "deal" with the media - of a weekly interaction, was music to all our ears. Sadly, it lasted just three weeks! But her PR Dept has been efficiently sending out press releases; something that doesn't help the electronic media adequately.
Politically, Jayalalithaa is on a strong wicket; with even the BJP cosying up to her. Not to speak of other regional parties. If the AIADMK manages to win about thirty seats in '201 whenever' Amma could well emerge as King Maker. I will never forget her smile and the response 'Thank You For The Compliment' when I asked her if she would like to be Prime Minister one day, given her experience and competence.
Now for the final score card! Keeping in mind the constraints it has had to work under and based on a dispassionate assessment, I'd give this Govt a First Class. I'd perhaps top that up to Distinction if I get that exclusive interview! Meanwhile, Congratulations, Amma!
Now for the final score card! Keeping in mind the constraints it has had to work under and based on a dispassionate assessment, I'd give this Govt a First Class. I'd perhaps top that up to Distinction if I get that exclusive interview! Meanwhile, Congratulations, Amma!
(Courtesy: NDTV)
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