At a time of global recession, Thirumangalam is buzzing. In this otherwise inconsequential small town in Madurai district, hotels and lodges are full, the bus service has been augmented, and sales at shops and liquor stores have trebled over the past two weeks. High-power politics has been the engine of commerce.

The result of the Thirumangalam bypoll will not change the floor situation in the Assembly. But the ruling DMK and Opposition AIADMK see it as a matter of pride and honour — and they have raised the pitch to levels never seen before during an election in Tamil Nadu.

All state ministers have visited the town, and gone from village to village canvassing for DMK candidate Latha Adhiyaman. The Opposition campaign is led by AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa herself, with leaders of alliance partners in tow. The Thirumangalam bypoll is the first election after the alliance equation changed, with the Left parties crossing over to the AIADMK alliance.

There have been whisper campaigns and counter-campaigns, and charges of “purchasing” votes by both parties. If local voters are to be believed, many of them have not gone to work for the past three weeks, and have still come into more money than they have ever had before. Entire families — not just voters — have allegedly got money, clothes and small gold jewellery. ‘Deals’ have been happening at night or early in the morning, with money changing hands over promises of votes on January 9.

An AIADMK ‘sting’ has caught Local Administration Minister and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s younger son M K Stalin handing out cash to the public. The Election Commission has directed local officials to file charges against the Minister, but Stalin has said he was only giving a gift for a newborn baby.

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