Mother of all battles for Amma’s seat

High decibel campaigning focusses on claiming J Jayalalithaa’s legacy, local issues put on the back burner

prospects pregnant with possibilities.

The split within the AIADMK has emboldened rival DMK which is hoping to reap political dividends by fishing in troubled waters. The party hopes it candidate NM Ganesh will win as feuding AIADMK factions battle each other. “Although the DMK candidate is not a high-profile one, the splitting of the AIADMK vote gives the opposition an edge,” says professor Ramu Manivannan of the Madras University.

Even the BJP is looking to make inroads into the state by wresting the seat. It has fielded music composer Gagain Amaran – brother of musician Ilaiyaraaja – as its candidate.

Also in the fray to stake claim over Jayalalithaa’s legacy is her niece, Deepa Jayakumar. She is contesting on behalf of MGR Amma Deepa Peravai Party, promising to free her aunt’s AIADMK from self-seekers .

Back in the lanes and by lanes of RK Nagar, there is a growing sense of being let down by the politicians who seem preoccupied by their own political necessities. “If there is a credible alternative, we will surely consider. But for the present, it is either the AIADMK or the DMK,” says S Prakash, a medical representative.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has written to the Chief Justice of India asking for the judiciary’s help in improving India’s ease of doing business rankings — one of PM Narendra Modi’s important goals.

India’s ranking in 2017 is an abysmal 130, a notch above last year’s 131, according to the World Bank. Prasad has asked the Supreme Court to “provide leadership” to the lower courts in implementing legal procedures to expedite trial and improving India’s score under the ‘enforce contract’ category.

In India, settling a commercial dispute takes nearly four years or so (1,420 days), according to the report. In the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development high-income countries, it takes about 553 days.

In his letter to CJI Jagdish Singh Khehar, Prasad has asked for proper implementation of the existing provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to grant of adjournment, adherence to timelines and electronic filing and electronic service of summons in 71 city courts immediately.