Leadership too under test in bypoll

‘Two leaves alone may not be enough to decide outcome’

While AIADM K leaders and cadre are rejoicing over winning back the popular ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, it remains debatable if the symbol in itself can bring in electoral success for the ruling party.

The party’s opponents and observers feel that while without the symbol the party would have remained weaker, the position will not change dramatically in the absence of strong and charismatic leadership. At best it would help a section of old-time voters connect with the AIADMK at the polling booths. Incidentally, during the original by-election for R. K. Nagar constituency in April this year, (since rescinded), the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) had attempted to manipulate the ‘twin lamps’ symbol allotted to it by projecting it as the ‘two leaves’. The Election Commission had later restrained the party from such misrepresentation.

“The symbol for a party is a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for it to win elections,” contends Professor A.R. Venkatachalapathy of Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) in Chennai.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) spokesperson K. Balu concurs. “There is no doubt that there is a vote bank for the symbol of a political party. But, it can only retain that part of the electorate and the party has to work hard to win the election.”

He points to the 1996 Assembly polls in which the AIADMK suffered defeated at the hands of DMK. “Jayalalithaa was defeated in the Bargur Assembly constituency with the very ‘two leaves’ symbol,” Mr. Balu adds.

Professor Ramu Manivannan of the Department of Politics and Public Administration in the University of Madras, has a different take. He says sometimes, the retaining of the symbol of a political party is keenly awaited by another party. “Here, more than the AIADMK, the BJP needs Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and the two leaves symbol.”