Lok Sabha elections 2024: Reading Rahul Gandhi (in translation)

First things first The severalthousand strong crowd you see in the picture is not for Rahul Gandhi Even if the Congress bussed in all of its supporters from the region it would not fill half of this venue on the outskirts of the mercantile city of Coimbatore once dubbed the Manchester of the East for its industryThe meeting is crucial for an important reason This region is where the ADMK is relatively strong The BJP is putting down roots here The Congress has a negligible presence The DMK though has taken the biggest hit with its mobiliserinchief from the region the deposed Senthil Balaji having been forcibly removed from the battlefield using corruption charges in a decadeold caseA decorative backdrop at the venue depicting from left social reformer Periyar TNrsquos first Dravidian CM C N Annadurai multiterm former CM K Karunanidhi DMK stalwart K Anbazhagan CM M K Stalin Sonia Gandhi former PM Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi PicsKrishnakumar PadmanabhanWhen Stalin mentions his leaders and thanks them for a good show today the loudest cheers are reserved for the absent Senthil Balaji In his absence the other DMK heavyweights from the region have come together to rally the crowds for this key meetingAllout attackAfter the local DMK and Congress leaders finish Stalin comes on as the penultimate speaker Like the 19th over of a T20 bowling innings is said to be the most crucial over so is the penultimate speakerrsquos role He has to get his point across even while keeping the crowd enthused for the final speaker It is a delicate balancing act But Stalin is a consummate proldquoThe real star campaigner for our alliance is the Congress manifestordquo he begins graciously extolling its various social welfare promises ldquoOn the other hand what does the PM have to show other than his many foreign tours When we ask for his governmentrsquos achievements he calls us namesrdquoHe then lines up all the known criticisms against the Union governmentmdashElectoral Bonds the PM Cares fund adverse CAG reports and corporate doles Elaborating he says ldquoWhen Rahul questions the government for its cronyism all the PM can do in return is dole out personal insults to Rahul This is because he has no answersrdquolsquoLoves idli hates TamilsrsquoAfter explaining his state governmentrsquos welfare programmes like R1000 for 11500000 eligible women and free bus rides for all women he wraps up ldquoThe PM says he likes idlis Pongal and Tamil people But his politics and policies clearly show a lsquodonrsquot carersquo attitude towards Tamil Nadu So it is time for you all to tell him lsquoDonrsquot want Modirsquo when you voterdquo he finishes to a rousing cheerEnglishTamil jugalbandiThe problem with being an alliance speaker who speaks last because the host is gracious is that they have to start as the first early exiters are making for the aisles and have to wrap it up before there is any visible thinning in the crowd which makes for bad optics And time flies when you speak English in a slow cadence and the translator is slower than youHundreds of buses full of DMK supporters were still entering the venue when TN CM M K Stalin started addressing the several thousands assembled at a venue outside the Coimbatore city limits on Friday night along with Congress leader Rahul GandhiBut Rahul Gandhi is up to the task Picking up where Stalin leftmdashidlismdashRahul says the PM may like idlis dosas and even Pongal ldquoBut what about the Tamil language Mr PM Do you like the Tamil language Because you say you love idlis when in TN but you go back to Delhi and say onenation oneleader onelanguagerdquoHe then endorses what his ldquoelder brother Stalinrdquo said about Electoral Bonds ldquoI never call any political leader my brother But Stalin is like my elder brother What he said about Electoral Bonds is true When I raised the issue of Adani benefitting due to this governmentrsquos policies they took away my home I was not worried because I know I have a place in millions of homes across the country I know millions of Tamil people will open their doors for merdquoAs the dispersal of the crowd picks up pace Rahul is quick to get to the message His next sentences now begin even before the translator is done with the earlier sentence He quickly outlines the INDIA blocrsquos electoral promises like the one offering 30 lakh vacant government jobs to unemployed youth of the country which draws the larger cheer before wrapping up with an appeal to vote for the alliance candidates on April 19How did it go all said Rahul had started his speech with these words ldquoI love Tamil Nadu My mood improves the moment I land hererdquo It is safe to conclude from the crowdrsquos response that the sentiment is reciprocatedApril 19Day polling will begin