The Hindu Business Line : `Local problems were the deciding factor in TN'

"RELIANCE is up." The stock scroll on TV captures the market reaction. But it is not a businessman tracking the market movement. It is Mr L. Ganesan, the BJP General Secretary, sitting in his party office in the business heartland of T. Nagar in Chennai.

He is not happy. Not because of the stock market reaction. The numbers he is more concerned about are not in his favour.

The AIADMK-BJP combine has been routed in Tamil Nadu. The DMK-Congress combine has cornered all the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Mr Ganesan turns around as a reporter from a private television channel points a mike at him. "Want to know how I feel? You should have brought a BP apparatus, not this," he says.

The mood in the BJP office is glum.

Two buildings away, the left parties are celebrating. The CPI and the CPI (M) have won all the four seats they contested. But the crowds are missing. A handful of party workers set off firecrackers. Another thrusts sweets at reporters. The people have voted against the policies of the State Government and Centre, the CPM leaders say. The priorities for the left parties in the State will be to reverse what they call the undemocratic legislations such as the Essential Services Maintenance Act.

But the main action is at the DMK party headquarters on Anna Salai.

Fireworks blast non-stop, remixes of popular Tamil hit songs blare from massive speakers, everybody dances with joy.

Mr Dayanidhi Maran, son of the late Murasoli Maran, is celebrating his victory from the Central Chennai constituency, and is mobbed by supporters. "Quiet!" party workers thunder as reporters seek his comments. "I cannot hear myself speak," he says to a journalist. The supporters calm down as the security guards scream for silence.

Mr Maran says: "The hero of this victory is doctor kalaignar (Mr M Karunanidhi, the DMK chief who led the Democratic Progressive Alliance). He is solely responsible for the 40-seat victory."

"But what is Mr Maran going to do for Chennai?" asks another journalist.

People have voted against the ruling party's policies. Drinking water is an issue. Infrastructure is a problem. Public transport is in a poor condition. These are the issues he is going to address, he says.

The State Government has not been able to solve the drinking water crisis. People are looking for a permanent solution, he says.

Water and other local problems were the deciding factor, Mr Ganesan says. "We did not expect such a tough ruling," he says. Local problems also were the crucial factors in Andhra Pradesh, he says.

But the results at the national level were totally unexpected, Mr Ganesan says. "The alliance arithmetic and the morally questionable post-poll support extended by the Left parties have paved the way for the Congress," he says.