It's your turn. Please vote

In about 10 minutes from now, the campaigning for the polls would stop. And after the storm that has captivated Tamil Nadu, there is going to be silence for a day and a half.

Elections, like movies, are most wonderful things. And in Tamil Nadu, where the line between the two are blurred, it has been everyone's pleasure to follow the elections.

Most of you would have decided whom to vote for. Some of you might still be toying with that question. In any case, do get out and vote. Please. It is not a question of whether politicians will ever change, or will ever make things happen. It is your democratic right, and responsibility.

My best wishes to all political parties in Tamil Nadu!

Free PCs, says ADMK

Over the past week, there have been rumours that ADMK was going to announce a brahma astra during the very last leg of the campaign. On this, the penultimate day of campaigning, the ruling party has announced a free personal computer to anyone who passes the Standard 12 exams in the state this year.

Both the alliances have reached a stage where the economics of their promises are better not argued upon. I do not know the exact number of students who sat for the exams. Let's say that number is 4 lakhs. Assuming a 70% passing rate, we are looking at about 3 lakh computers, each costing 10000 rupees. That's 300+ crores, this year alone!

An old Tamil saying reads: mullai mullaal thaan edukkanum, i.e. a thorn in the flesh can be removed only by another thorn. Wonder what Amma might say if she unable to fulfil this promise: "I promised PC. But PC (the FinMin) says no money. So, no PC!"

Vaarisu arasiyal

While parties in the ADMK front, especially the MDMK, are campaigning heavily against vaarisu arasiyal -- running a party from within a family, some wonder what might become of the ADMK after Ms Jayalalithaa. Sreenivasan Jain of NDTV caught up with the Chief Minister and asked her the same question.

NDTV: What about some of the criticism that's made of you that you are a very autocratic leader? You're not allowing the second rung of leadership in the AIADMK to come up?

Jayalalitha: That is not true. It's not true at all.

NDTV: Who is the second rung? One never sees anyone else. It's always you.

Jayalalitha: When the time comes a leader will emerge.

The text of the full interview is here. (via Kaps)