By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Chennai: Inside a lane in Vadapalani located in front of vintage AVM movie studio, open jeeps with brooms attached and cargo auto rickshaws turned volunteer’s carrier are busy in canvassing. Mohammed Jahir Hussain, Aam Admi Party candidate from South Chennai parliamentary seat stops by at a tea center to have a break from a busy day campaigning.
This former Yoga Guru with Art of living of Sri Sri Ravishankar is personally distributing pamphlets to every passer-by asking them to vote for an ‘alternative’ ‘clean politics’. He was associated with India Against Corruption since Anna Hazare’s anti-graft bill agitation and even organized a mass fast for its support in Chennai in 2011. He proudly introduces himself as one of the founding member of AAP. During campaign if some interested spectator gets with him in a discussion he will immediately passes them with his visiting card, which has his constituency election manifesto printed behind.
When asked can a Delhi base party could be an alternative in an extreme regional politics oriented state? Mr. Hussain sipping his tea calmly replied, “You see for past 35 years politics in Tamil Nadu has been dominated by DMK and ADMK. People here are now frustrated with them. And nowhere else in this country then Tamil Nadu people are looking for a reliable alternate honest politics.”
IT corridor of the city falls under South Chennai parliamentary seat along with city’s major slums, which makes it peculiar with migrant voters, middle class and working class population.
Mr. Hussain sees AIADMK and BJP candidate supported by host of other regional players as his only competitions. But he doesn’t give any importance to emerging Modi factor, “I’ll call it not a Modi wave but in Tamil ‘Mossadi’ (cheating) wave.” He sees no chance of middle class voters in South Chennai getting into BJP’s fold.
“We are fighting against communalism, for development and for good accountable governance. That’s what emerging middle class of this country including in Chennai wants. Not a cheater.”
He claims to be against vote bank politics so will not share any specific strategy he is attracting considerable Muslim votes in this constituency. But with persistent push he shot back, “Muslims will vote for me. Not just because I am from their community. But where else they will go? They know Congress and DMK are sinking ships, and to defeat BJP and alliance I am the only option available to them. He says with a smirk.”
Even if he is confidence of getting Muslim votes, he is no relenting in promising something special to the community. “I will not work only for a particular community. What I have are plans for all irrespective of religion or creed,” he said.
Asking votes in the name of religion and making promise to a particular community is business of ‘Muslim parties’ he said directly targeting Muslim league and MMK. “Muslim parties in Tamil Nadu are power hungry. They divide people to get power. I am working to unite all not to shatter already divided society,” Jahir Hussain said.
He adds, “I am working in South Chennai slums since 1989 with different NGO’s. I know their problems. If we get elected we will make sure development of slum dwellers and proper hygiene for all.”
Mr. Hussain, who also runs a NGO called Iyakkam (Movement), which monitor Government offices and help people get their work done without paying bribes, has promised ‘a people centric Swaraj based governance’ which will have Right to recall and Right to reject. He also promised a liquor free state among many other things in his constituency manifesto.
Mohammed Altaf, former alumni of Quaid-e-Millat College, now a stock broker and a volunteer for AAP candidly agree that it is difficult for Jahir to score a victory. He said, “I am supporting AAP because they are at least trying to make a difference. There plans and commitment to promise is unseen before in politics.”
Another AAP volunteer Jaleel, a business man by profession, who was present at the canvassing point told he got attracted towards AAP when Arvind Kejriwal went into Gujarat and took Modi head on in his own turf, “Will you expect any Congress leader to do that. I really admire his boldness and the principles Arvind Kejriwal stood up for.”
Jahir Hussain says challenges are many for him in the money and muscle power dominated politics of Tamil Nadu. “My opponents have bought local media here to wipe out the name of AAP. I will give you an example. A popular local daily Dinamalar didn’t even published my name in the list of candidates. But election commission is going tough on corruption in elections so I hope for the best.”
When his convoy is about to leave for another round of campaigning Mr. Hussain got into a heated discussion with local shop owner who told AAP volunteers that new parties just come before elections and always fail. “If I’ll make you got to the polling booth to cast a vote for clean governance, I will believe I have won. I am not asking people to vote for me, but for clean politics,” he said, with smile before getting into his open jeep waving around at the assemble crowd.
AAP candidate Jahir Hussain is contesting against senior DMK leader K.S. Elagovan, AIADMK candidate 26 year old DR. Jayvardhan and BJP’s national executive member L. Ganesan.