The Chintadripet main road is clogged at 8.30 a.m. Youth arrive in dozens of motorbikes at the front entrance to the fish market. The NDA’s Chennai Central constituency candidate, PMK’s Sam Paul, has already begun his campaign.
Standing in an auto, he disappeared into the maze of narrow lanes. The cadre of allies AIADMK, BJP and DMDK had to play the catch-up game. For nearly 30 minutes, two dozen two-wheelers tried to locate the candidate in the maze.
Finally, they stopped near the police outpost deep inside the locality and decided to wait for Mr. Paul. Near the police outpost, a group of women fetching water from the handpump, kept looking at the handbills handed over to them. "Everyone is the same. They won’t visit us hereafter. Our job is to vote. That we will do," says Menaka.
Near the Ripon Buildings, the Corporation headquarters, Nithyanandan runs a small ironing unit. The fan in his shop has a Jayalalithaa sticker on it. "I got it six years ago. It still works," he says, beaming. The calendar on the wall has the sitting MP S.R. Vijayakumar’s name. Politicians are here, whether they know it or not, even if on stickers and props.
At Iyya Street junction, the youth finally catch up with the candidate. The entourage grows long.
One of four smokers, standing at a corner shop volunteers his political gyan. The other smokers are distracted by the procession, and give him a reluctant ear.
On the main road stands Annadurai, a construction worker, letting us know: "Everyone gets a crowd these days. It is all money. Biryani and a few hundreds. It is up to us, the people, to vote for the good guy."
