On any election season it is usual for TN political parties, particularly Dravidian parties, to exchange barbs against each other, not only with regard to the political issues, but all issues ranging from loot to lawlessness. It all began with DMK coming to power in 1967 in TN. Now the trend has taken a turn for worse. The mudslinging is pulled to a new low as gender, caste, profession, complexion, mother tongue, family members, are all dragged into the day-to-day discourse as well as Assembly proceedings, much to the displeasure and discomfort of the common man who goes about his business generally amicably.
During this election (2021 Assembly polls) campaign, TN voters have been witnessing a couple of new trends – political parties taking to the Social Media in a big way. Also, full page newspaper advertisements on page one by almost all political parties, either highlighting their own achievements or exposing their opponents.
However, such an ad Bilitz in Tamil by the ruling party in almost all the prominent dailies (both Tamil and English) on April 4 caught the imagination of the uncommitted voters; that precisely was the intention. The 4-page ad was in fact a huge collage of news clips telling all how the DMK and its leaders / members dabbled remorselessly in crime, corruption and commission all along the decades. Add to this the power cuts, dynasty politics, land grab atrocities and 2G scam. The advertisement did not miss the opportunity to reproduce reports crying foul on mysterious circumstances in which prominent businessmen, once accomplices of DMK bigwigs, had been bumped off. The source / reference for all the news items were neatly provided, adding to the credibility as well as to ward off possible legal tangles.
Not only the contents caught the imagination of the voters and served as a perfect reminder of the dreadful days of DMK rule, the timing of the advertisement also was hailed as ingenious. It may be noted that as per election commission guidelines, the poll campaign got over on April 4 by 7 pm; political parties are barred from doing any campaign after that including door-to-door campaigning and through social media, newspapers, electronic media, etc. Hence, DMK was not left with an elbow space to launch a full-scale rebuttal.
The ad bomb almost shattered the pro DMK image that carefully crafted opinion polls had built over the couple of weeks prior to the poll date. The myth that penetration of DMK hands in the media is complete, was also exposed. Editorial bigshots were seen bemoaning (to foreign media) their helplessness in the matter of issuing such ads in their own papers. More so, when the sitting MP and close family member of DMK is the President of the Workers Union in one such leading newspapers. That eminently justifies the adjective “surgical strike” for the AIADMK coup sending DMK scurrying for cover!
Above all, bringing out an advertisement of this magnitude and nature in print media calls for meticulous planning and execution. It is said that in any attack, an element of surprise would add to impact. No doubt, the April 4 AIADMK media ad attack on DMK had the potential to sway the opinion of the electorate against the DMK — the content of the ad was scathing and its timing was perfect.
Releasing a video or documentary in Social Media or electronic media may or may not such an impact. Now we have solid text in black and white that would serve as a future reference point as well.
Will this media surgical strike benefit the people of TN by reinforcing their decision to keep the brazenly anti Hindu DMK out of power for next 5 years?
May 2 holds the answer.
