When AIADMK's Factions Carried Pigeons And Roosters Around After EC Froze 'Two Leaves' Symbol In 1989

While the candidates would feed their campaign entourage most of them forgot to take care of their ‘live’ symbols.

Updated on: 23 March 2017 11:04 am

The last time the AIADMK split in 1988 after MGR’s death the two factions had to choose a symbol that appealed to AIADMK cadres and core voters. The AIADMK (Jayalalithaa) chose the “Rooster” symbol on the suggestion of her astrologers who said that the bird found a place in the victory flag of Lord Murugan and would have an emotional and religious connect with the people of the state. Murugan, the younger son of Siva and Parvathi, is among the most worshipped deities in the state and his Palani Aandavar temple in south-west Tamil Nadu sees the largest footfalls among all temples in the state.

Not to be outdone the AIADMK (Janaki), piloted by the then Information Minister Rm. Veerappan, picked on “Two Pigeons” which in Tamil translated into “Irattai Pura” and would seem familiar with the 'Irattai Ilai' (Two Leaves) which had been frozen by the EC. Ranged against the two factions was the Rising Sun of the DMK which was trying to make a comeback in the post MGR scenario, having been confined to second place for over a decade.

As the two factions hurried to popularize their new symbols it led to scenes both horrendous and hilarious. Live roosters and pigeon pairs were carried around in cages to make a visual impact when the candidates went about campaigning. While the candidates would feed their campaign entourage most of them forgot to take care of their ‘live’ symbols. The result was the birds would die due to hunger or thirst or mere over exposure to the sound and light of the noisy campaign that extended past midnight.

When MGR’s widow Janaki Ramachandran was campaigning in the Andipatti constituency of her late husband two pigeons were tied to the cross beam of her open jeep. Midway through her speech one pigeon freed itself and flew away. As the organisers were confounded what to do Janaki asked the driver to free the other pigeon too. “Why separate them for our sake?” she was heard saying over the PA system.

As reports about ill-treatment of the live symbols poured in, the Election Commission, after the 1989 election temporarily removed animals from the its list of free symbols. Till Kanshi Ram and Mayawati arrived with the BSP’s Elephant.