{ முகநூல் கருத்துக்கள்}{ட்விட்டர் கருத்துக்கள்}

Nearly five months after it went to the polls to elect a new State assembly, Tamil Nadu would once again be going to the polls this October. This time, it would be to elect various members to the Local Bodies (Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations). The elections would differ slightly from the elections held last time (2001). Instead of casting at least two votes - one to elect their ward councillor and the other to elect Chairperson, President or Mayor - as the case may be, people would be casting just one vote: that to elect their ward councillor. This is just about the only convenience this new set up provides - if one were to call it so!

The new DMK government that came to office had decided to put away with the practice of direct election of the Chairperson, President or Mayor by the people. Instead, they - and their deputies - would be chosen by and among the councillors themselves. The reason being put forward is that - sometimes, the top post in a local body is held by a person belonging to a different political party from the party of the majority of councillors. This is - we are told - recipe for inaction and bickering. If one were to extend this reasoning, we should be having the same party running the state and central governments for smooth functioning! And perhaps tell people to vote only for the candidates of the party that is ruling the State!!

It would suffice to say the decision was wrong and probably was made - in the least, to avoid a situation where mayors may get elected from the current opposition parties, resulting in the loss of face - so soon after the May elections. In the worse, it probably was made to corrupt the local bodies system - by forcing the rigid political-parties system that prevails at the higher levels into the local bodies system more deeply. Despite scattered opposition, however, this governmental decision is here to stay and as such - we have no option, but to live with it - perhaps a little more creatively.

The local bodies (Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations) provide an excellent opportunity to escape from the vicious nature of the political parties and bring in to office people who are clean, more grounded to the realities of the towns and villages and are independent of pressure from a bigger authority (state political party, national political party etc). They were also meant to be means by which grassroots democracy could be strenghtened, good work done and corruption checked. That vision is getting eroded.

The elections to Kayalpatnam Local Body (earlier Panchayat, now Municipality) have been - by and large - free from heavy political party involvement. Eventhough a few ward members used to get elected - touting their affiliation to political parties - in majority of the cases, it used to be independents standing in the election and winning. With the election date getting nearer and the DMK government making its intent clear, there is this talk of supporting a (DMK) party nominee to the top post in Kayalpatnam. Accepting this option (and line of thinking) would be wrong and will have long term consequences. Many capable men (and women) - who wish not to be affiliated with any political party - will be discouraged from entering public service and thus the door to a leadership not affected by affiliation to political parties closed. People of Kayalpatnam must understand they stand to lose a lot more than gain from having a person from a ruling party at the top post.

When electing their ward councillors, and through them eventually Vice-chairman and Chairman, Kayalpatnam must set a certain minimum standards. There are 18 ward members to be elected. Each ward perhaps may have mulitiple candidates standing opposite to each other. In choosing one among them to be the councillor, the criteria that we apply must be, the candidates should be -

*** morally clean
*** administratively capable
*** personally incorruptible

Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath has the voice of over 75% of the people of Kayalpatnam. If it chooses and acts, it can play a useful role now. During the past elections, a consensus was usually arrived to nominate a single person as the representative of majority of people of Kayalpatnam to the post of President (now Chairperson). This person would stand in the election and get an overwhelming support from the public and win. This time though the person who would be heading the local body is to be elected by the 18 ward members, not by the 25,000+ voters. Even in this scenario, there are options before Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath to act upon.

As a first step, Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath can set in roll a process by which it can finalise candidates for the post of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. This can be done by publicly inviting people to suggest names of persons capable of holding those posts. Once chosen by a fair process, those two persons can be nominated to stand from the two Wards to which they may belong. As a next step, Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath should invite candidates standing for election in the other 16 wards and have them openly declare their accepatance of Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath's choices - which by extension would be the people's choices.

For example, in a ward, if two people - A and B - are standing and A accepts the Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath's choice, B doesn't, Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath can endorse Candidate A and ask people to vote for him/her. In wards where more than one candidate is willing to endorse the Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath's choices, the choice can be left to the people - who can be advised to make their choices based on certain criteria.

This of course is not a foolproof method. Money could still play a role - as it was alleged during the last elections. Yet it is necessary we walk this step for the welfare of the town.

In an ideal situation, the candidates who would emerge to stand for the 18 wards would be good. People would be making their choices - applying the moral and capability criteria. And those 18 councillors in turn would be choosing the best among them as the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson - in a manner free of monetary or other considerations. Alas, we are not living in a perfect world! The intervention of an organisation like Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath is necessary to help people in making their choices and guide the whole process in a manner that is beneficial to the people of Kayalpatnam.

One cannot also ignore Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath has its critics. Some of the criticisms that are hurled at them cannot be brushed aside. The perception that it is more a reactive organisation than a pro-active organisation is widely held. Yet - given the divisions that exist in Kayalpatnam, the existence of an organisation like Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath itself is something to cherish. An occasion like this - the Municipal elections - gives an opportunity to Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamaath to make itself more relevant to the lives of the people. One has to wait and watch whether they live up to the challenge and the expectations of thousands of people of Kayalpatnam.