Hyderabad: It is known that people from Tamil Nadu are decisive in their choice. This was the unique facet of the voters in the state. They have shown this trait in the past and also this time fully. They chose to vote for the AIADMK and led MK Stalin-led DMK alliance to Fort St. George ingelui. As in the past, they did so unequivocally this time as well. This brings Tamil Nadu into sharp focus.
MK Stalin takes over the mantle of the prime minister at an extremely difficult time. And the challenges abound. Perhaps Stalin finally realized his prime ministerial ambition. But it is not going to be easy to run the government. With the country, as a whole, writhing under the second wave of a virus that was completely wiped out by 2020, the outlook for 2021 looks even darker. Previous numbers are not relevant today, but depending on the side of the table, one can interpret the critical economic numbers accordingly.
We need to look beyond the problem facing the new Prime Minister of Tamil Nadu. Perception is important for investors. And their perception of Tamil Nadu at the moment is negative to say the least. Who is responsible for this? A few expenditures in the past have shown the state poorly to investors in general. The Jallikattu agitation in the middle of the E Palanisamy government of the AIADMK dived into the image of the state. The Jallikattu agitation itself did not cause it. However, when the whole thing turned into an anti-MNC campaign, it greatly damaged the State’s reputation. Coke, Pepsi and the like were stressed, and much of their management bandwidth was then spent on the negative campaign against them.
Second, the way the state government conceded under pressure when the water dispute raged with neighboring Karnataka. This forced a sporting event out of state. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), a popular IPL (Indian Premier League) franchise, was forced to move its matches out of Chennai. If a sporting event could not be held in a state, how do you expect investors to step in here and set up a permanent store?
The Sterlite Copper imbroglio just got the state into a cobweb. When police killed more than a dozen people outside the Sterlite factory site at Thuthukudi, the state ordered the plant to be permanently closed. The Sterlite issue has since moved to the highest court in the country.
One can endlessly debate the right or wrong to allow the Sterlite plant in Tamil Nadu. The fact was, however, that it was allowed for more than 20 years. Political class as a whole showed a lack of statesmanship in the Sterlite episode. All this sent the wrong signal to the general public. The local businessmen, meanwhile, are wary of the indigenous politicians. Many of them refused to put more money into a state where they grew up. That the Russian company that makes AK47 rifles chose to avoid Tamil Nadu and set up its base in Amethi reflects the plight of the investment community. We have Sri City near Chennai. Although it borders Chennai, it falls under Andhra Pradesh. The then Prime Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, aggressively demanded investment in his state. And Sri City was an ideal place. And it is a convenient place for even industries in Tamil Nadu to expand!
As Hyundai has a base in Tamil Nadu, one would expect Kia Motors, the group company, to also set up its production unit in India in the Dravadian country. But Kia moves to Andhra Pradesh. There were speculations as to why they moved to Andhra Pradesh. If sources were to pass by, the Kia Motor issue would not bode well for the ruling political administration of that time.
At the moment, the perception is not good. One can build up the numbers to give a healthy picture. But the ground reality is different. It must be eradicated quickly. And a sense of comfort and a sense of belonging are lacking at the moment. And the Stalinist government will do well to eradicate this perception. In this Covid there are many new opportunities for the government to make money. Digital will be the new mantra. And Tamil Nadu is well equipped to take the initiative on this front. Healthcare could also be the focus area for the new government. Change is the only constant, it is often said. Well, this change may be good for the people of Tamil Nadu. However, the duty on Stalin is clear to make it so. The theme should be growth. And the focus should be more work.
Source: Telangana Today