Campaigning ends as EC reviews security measures

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 8. The Election Commission met today to undertake a last-minute review of the preparations for the Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Pondicherry.

The nearly fortnight-long poll campaign, marred by violence in Assam, ended in the five States this evening with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, lending it a high profile touch at times.

At the three-member poll panel's meeting, presided over by the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M.S. Gill, the focus was on surveying the police deployment and bandobast in each State. It also cast yet another look at the effectiveness of the senior civil and police administration as well as the Central observers.

The Commission expressed concern over the tone and tenor of the TV advertisements and projects, particularly by the channels associated with the two major political parties in Tamil Nadu. The Commission stressed that all Television channels in Tamil Nadu and the four other States must restrain themselves and maintain fair electoral practices.

Referring to the situation in Assam, Commission sources said the panel was in constant touch with the Chief Electoral Officer and Returning Officers of the sensitive constituencies. The Commission had an ``overall view'' of the poll preparedness in the five States. It had not received any complaint from the Congress against the Prime Minister's statement rapping the party for its alleged links with the ULFA.

The Commission is also stated to have taken a serious view of an advertisement released by the BJP in Kerala as well as some of the wall paintings of the party. Expressing the view that they did not meet the parameters of the model code of conduct, the panel deplored the tone of the advertisement and suggested its immediate withdrawal.

The campaign had picked up a feverish tempo only in the last week, with Mr. Vajpayee and Ms. Gandhi pitching in with high profile campaigning.

In Tamil Nadu, the star campaigners undoubtedly were the AIADMK chief, Ms. Jayalalitha and the DMK president and Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi. The poll outcome in the State would probably hinge on the extent to which the electorate believes that Ms. Jayalalitha has been unfairly denied a chance to contest the election.

As for West Bengal, the limelight belonged to the Trinamool Congress leader and maverick, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, and the Communist veteran and energetic Chief Minister, Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya; both led up front their respective forces. In Assam, the electioneering has taken place under the shadow of the ULFA gun. The Prime Minister has even charged the Congress with being in collusion with the ULFA, a charge the Congress has hotly denied and dared the BJP to prove. The ruling AGP has to cope with a strong anti-incumbency mood, and even its alliance with the BJP has not helped reduce the intensity of that mood.

In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front seems to be comfortably placed vis-a-vis the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. In the Union Territory of Pondicherry, the electorate finds itself divided between the Congress-TMC combine, the AIADMK-PMK alliance, and the DMK and its partners.

The polling on May 10 will witness extensive use of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) barring Assam, where the machine will be used on a limited scale. As many as 239 million voters will exercise their franchise in 148,815 polling stations. A total of 824 seats are at stake. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 13 and the entire process completed before May 18.

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