Chennai
The Tamil TV channels affiliated to any of the political parties in the state are busy telecasting attacks on rivals, while showcasing achievements and poll promises of the parties.
For instance, Jaya Plus TV programme Nalla Sollrangayya Detailu, anchored by noted Tamil comedian Singamuthu, ridicules DMK and other political parties in the actor’s own inimitable style while recalling the “achievements” of the AIADMK regime.
The channel also carries regular promotional programmes like My Leader highlighting AIADMK’s welfare schemes like low-cost Amma Canteen food chain with catchy phrases like Sonnathayum Seithom Sollathathayum Seithom.
To counter this, TV channels like Sun News aired advertisements captioned Sonneengale… Senjeen gala?, targetting the AIADMK. The ruling party took exception to this and has made a representation to the Chief Electoral Officer to stop its airing. However, DMK leaders like M K Stalin continue to pose the same question in their campaign trail.
Interestingly, Sun News channel also mixes up, intersperses the speeches of leaders made on different occasions, giving it a hilarious effect targeting the ruling party. For instance, it shows a clipping in which Jayalalithaa says she brings welfare schemes after thorough thinking. Next comes TNCC Chief Elangovan’s quip Yosithu Yosithu Parkiren Ondrum Puriyavillai (I think repeatedly I do not understand anything.)
Pro-DMK Kalaignar TV and Kalaignar Seithigal channels flood viewers with a string of “achievements” of the previous DMK regime. For example, it chronicled how Karunanidhi gave 1,78,880-acre surplus land from landlords to 1,37,236 landless farmers by enacting the Land Ceiling Act in 1970.
PMK’s mouthpiece
Makkal TV, a pro-PMK channel, hits hard at rivals, including AIADMK, DMK and DMDK. It also gives repartees to comments of rival leaders through comical quips from Tamil movies. Also, most channels including Makkal TV invariably have memes from social media ridiculing leaders for their specific comments.
Makkal TV has hard hitting serious programming against rivals. For instance, it cited the Sarkaria Commission indictments against Karunanidhi in a recent show and went on to chronicle corruption allegations against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Captain commands
Pro-DMDK Captain TV and Captain News channels beam programmes with all guns blazing against AIADMK, DMK and other rivals through similar shows. The channels make it a point to repeat-telecast the campaigns of their leaders, besides doing live broadcast of election rallies.
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