Both Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (AIADMK) preparations are in full swing for the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
With DMK’s announcement of election-in-charge for 32 districts on Thursday and AIADMK’s announcement of appointment of vote canvassers in August, both parties appear to have hit the campaign mode.
DMK stated in a press release on Thursday that people who are appointed as the election-in-charges would add 15 members under them to understand the problems faced by the people in their constituency. They will also try to bring those issues to the government’s notice.
The party added, “Any action by the election-in-charges should be duly informed to the party HQ and they should work in a transparent manner by taking the other party executives and functionaries of the constituency on board with them.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary Jayalalitha told party members in August to reach out to all 5.62 crore voters in the State and also announced “vote canvassers will be appointed and this mammoth task will be carried out by the party forum functioning in my name (J. Jayalalithaa Peravai)”, in a press statement in Chennai. The party has decided to elect vote canvassers in 64,094 election booths in the state.
She also asked all the vote canvassers and party functionaries of specific polling stations to meet the public as many times as possible and tell them about the achievements of the government in the past four years.
Highlighting AIADMK’s welfare schemes, Jayalalithaa also added, “The AIADMK government headed by me is implementing several schemes for people's welfare. In a democratic regime, people coming to know about the schemes and achievements of the government will add strength and pride to the government".
Looking at the past history of assembly elections in the state, a pitched battle seems to be on the cards between the incumbent party and the DMK.