Biju Ramesh’s transformation from a liquor businessman to All India Anna Dravida Munnettra Kazhakam (AIADMK) candidate for Thiruvananthapuram Central constituency was nothing less than dramatic.
His infamous muckraking on television had spawned the politically stormy bar licence renewal bribery case.
Looped over and over again on news channels, Mr. Ramesh’s “revelations” unleashed a firestorm of political protests that eventually resulted in the resignation of Finance Minister K.M. Mani.
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They also dangerously exposed Excise Minister K. Babu to allegations of corruption and cast serious doubts on the credibility of the State government’s decision to shutdown ordinary bars in “public interest”.
In the limelight
Cast into the tumult of pre-election politics, Mr. Ramesh had rapidly metamorphosed from a member of the capital’s reclusive business elite into the worst bugbear of the ruling front. He soon became a household name in Kerala.
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Then, seemingly out of the blue, he emerged as “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s own candidate” for the coveted Assembly constituency, which boasts 35,000 Tamil-speaking voters.
Ms. Jayalalithaa’s image dominates Mr. Ramesh’s election posters and he invokes her name repeatedly in his campaign speeches. He promises his electorate a cornucopia of welfare measures with Tamil Nadu government’s support.
Amma canteens
“Amma canteens will serve idli for Rs.1 each and lunch for Rs.5. Amma promises 20 kg of Ponni rice free to all low-income households. Amma wants all homes in this constituency to have LCD televisions, washing machines and grinders. School students will receive free laptops, uniforms and study material. Vote for Amma,” he says.
Prime opponents
Mr. Ramesh’s prime opponents are Health Minister and UDF candidate V.S. Sivakumar, Antony Raju of the LDF, and cricketer Sreesanth of the BJP. Like them, he works the crowds and moves among voters, glad-handing supporters and attending neighbourhood-level meetings.
His biggest promise is a modern waste management plant for his constituency. “All with Amma’s support,” he says.