Assembly polls
Is 13 a scary number?
Most of us would fear this number. But one institution in this country has shown its preference for this number many times.
The institution in question is none other than the Election Commission of India!
The Election Commission has conducted many elections or counting of votes on days that fall on the hated 13.
The counting of Assembly elections in 2001 was held on May 13. So was the counting for the general elections in 2004.
This year, the EC shocked the political parties in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry by announcing that the Assembly elections in these states would be held on April 13 and counting on May 13.
The dread of 13 has nothing to do with superstition, though.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister leads the rally of politicians campaigning against the election date.
Saying that April 13 is too early, M Karunanidhi said everybody expected the polls to be held either in the last week of April or in the first week of May.
He said there is a month-long gap between the date of poll and the date of counting. The new assembly had to be constituted on May 17 and there was too little time for completion of the process.
Karunanidhi said the complete results would be out only on May 14 and parties would have just two days time for ministry formation as the Assembly had to be summoned by May 17 – The term of the present Assembly ends on May 16.
What Karunanidhi did not reveal is the fact that the DMK and the Congress are yet to finish seat-sharing talks. The DMK is hard-pressed for time to finalise the deal with the Congress, especially when the AIADMK has already sealed seat-sharing deals with other parties.
Parties in Kerala also find themselves racing against time. Congress leaders in the state are working overtime to finalise deals with its allies in the United Democratic Front who are demanding more seats. They want to settle the seat-sharing issue and hit the campaign trail as soon as possible.
Though the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala doesn’t have seat-sharing problems, a sense of urgency has gripped even this front since the announcement of poll dates.
The LDF is confronted with the question of who would be the chief ministerial candidate. Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has said he is ready to contest the polls. But will the front want to project him as their candidate for CM?
Time waits for no man, not even geriatric politicians. Now, the parties in Tamil Nadu and Kerala should move at a breakneck speed to finalise poll deals, to find candidates and to begin their campaign.
The ‘short notice’ will help them make the most qualitative use of time at their hands. There is no doubt that they will accomplish their target in a matter of few days.
Perhaps the move is a blessing in disguise from the Election Commission…
Less number of days for campaigning means less expense.
And once the election is over on April 13, the leaders have a full month to relax.
I could also let my imagination run wild on what the one-month gap between the poll date and counting could cause to the ‘safely-kept’ Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
That too, in two states where reports of alleged EVM tampering surface after every election.
Who said 13 is a bad number?
Whatever these politicians feels aboutNo: 13, the actual fact is they want to delay the outcome of the election. All the ruling parties are going to be with lesser no. of seats and that is the actual cause of worry.
From a public point of view, I think 13th is a good date. As time goes the summer is TN will become very hot and so 13th must not be changed.
The time gap of one month between election and counting of votes is ridiculous. How much money is tobe spent for safe keeping of EVMs is anybody’s guess. Moreover there is chance of tampering of EVMs. The Election Commissioners should think of these aspects before announcing the election schedule. I hope they will change the election date.
The time gap of one month between election and counting of votes is ridiculous. How much money is tobe spent for safe keeping of EVMs is anybody’s guess. Moreover there is chance of tampering of EVMs. The Election Commissioners should think of these aspects before announcing the election schedule. I hope they will change the election date.
13 is very lucky number as far as DMK is concerned. The Present Assembly is 13th Assembly of Tamilnady.
13th Assembly Swearing in Ceremony was
held on 13.05.2006.
The New Assembly Building was innaugarated on 13.03.2010.
Eventhough the DMK party is not satisfied as election date announced in short span of time 13 April Will be very very lucky for the Partn.
” …..the AIADMK has already sealed seat-sharing deals with other parties.”
there is so much drama happening in DMK and AIADMK camps. The author here says … AIADMK has sealed seat sharing BUT with whom DMDK?; Vaiko, Communist …
i think the author needs to read newspapers daily
It`s just a number.
13th is alucky date for all,so the EC has selected this for election in three states,Tamilnadu,Puducherry, and Kerala ann the counting date is fixed on 13 th May for all five states.I born on 13th MAGH,I stood 13th in high school leaving examination,my marriage was on 13th February.So in my opinion 13th is the lucky dateand as such the EC has selected 13th for the assembly election and counting.
Karunanidhi will face the might of almighty when the election is over,He is an non believer he will see what god has in store for him,Prison or Hell ..farewell karuna all your greatest deed will benefit you,all your son and daughter will soon meet you in hell !
My friends in kerala tell me that kerala is a mini pakistan already and that both the congress and communist political fronts make friendship with jehadi muslims and fantic christians&hindus are treated by congress and communists ONLY as dirt and slaves!My kerala friends tell me too that both congress and kerala have been making muslim league party of 100 percent muslims as their friends for the past 50 years and still no one including the rss, vhp or BJP do not shout in media that crooked congress and communists are communal since playing christian card or muslim card in elections in our secular country is NOT communal, but the moment some one says the word hindu he or his party become suddently communal and terrorist, What a Shame that 85 crore hindus are so morronic and ennuch and coawrd made by the british trick of non-violence and using the british douyble agent and fake freedom fighter mahatma gandhee whcih allowed the british looters to rule and loot trillions of dollars without getting hurt or killed for so many decades and centuries and these british crook and fake freedom fighters have made hindus ennuchs and moroons and cowards forever too. Will this southern illiterate state ebcome another kashmir and whether minority hindus will be subjected to genocide or will be forced to run for their lives as in kashmir or northeast remians to be seen but it is a definte possibility since hindus are fighting between themesleves and jehadi and vatican fanatics are waiting like wolves to drink the blood and eat the flesh of figting sheep, Shame, Hindus,Shame
100% true vignesh singh.
ur friends r not misguiding u..
Truly said vignesh singh…