Home | Biodata | Biography | Photo Gallery | Publications | Tributes [Back to Surveys List] Political - Socio - Economic-Surveys

Mr Rajiv Gandhi and Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran are the most popular political leaders in Tamil Nadu, each getting the support of a little over thirty percent of the people, Ms Jayalalitha would have greater support among MGR's supporters compared to Mr Nedunchezhian, if MGR were to nominate a successor. A majority of people support the prohibition policy of the Government of Tamil Nadu. These are some of the findings of a state-wide postal survey conducted by the Statistics Department of the Madras Christian College during the second and third weeks of this month.

Almost fourteen hundred persons responded by sending their opinions by filling up a questionnaire and posting back the stamped and self-addressed inland letter addressed to the Department of Statistics, Madras Christian College. Many an illiterate had sought the help of some friend who was literate and had filled the questionnaire by placing a tick mark in the appropriate box. The questionnaire as well as an accompanying letter sent to the people were printed in simple Tamil.

Thirty one percent of the response was from hamlets, another thirty one percent from villages and twenty three percent from small towns. Seventy percent of the respondents were men and thirty percent women.

Political Leaders

Responding to the question "Among the following political leaders, whom do you support with your 'whole heart' ?" , thirty one percent indicated that they supported Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and another thirty one percent indicated that they fully supported Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.

Twenty two percent support Mr Karunanidhi, the leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, six percent support Mr Hegde and two percent Mr Morarji Desai.

Successor to Mr M.G. Ramachandran

"If Chief Minister MGR chooses as his successor one of the following, whom will you support with your 'whole heart' ?" . Thirty-eight percent of the respondents said that they would support Mr Nedunchezhian. In contrast to this only thirty-two percent said that they would support Ms Jayalalitha. Nine percent supported Mrs V.N. Janaki, wife of Mr M.G. Ramachandran, and six percent Mr Veerappan, the former minister for Information. In other words, as far as the common man is concerned Mr Nedunchezhian is more acceptable to him than any one else to succeed MGR.

Taking only supporters of Mr Rajiv Gandhi, forty five percent support Mr Nedunchezhian and only thirty percent support Ms Jayalalitha. Among the supporters of MGR only thirty four percent support Mr Nedunchezhian as a successor. In contrast to this, forty-four percent of MGR's supporters would like Ms Jayalalitha to be nominated by him as his successor. In other words Mr Nedunchezhian is more acceptable as MGR's successor to the congressmen than to AIADMK supporters

Prohibition Policy

The Tamil Nadu government  has closed down arrack and toddy shops but has kept open the wine shops. Sixty-four percent of the respondents support the present prohibition policy of the state government. Nineteen percent are against the policy and seventeen percent have no opinion to express.

"Has the drinking of arrack and toddy completely stopped in the vicinity of your house?" Responding to the above question only five percent said that drinking of arrack and toddy has stopped, Thirty-nine percent said that drinking has reduced in their vicinity. As high as forty five percent said that there has been no reduction in drinking and about eleven percent did not express any opinion. In other words, a little over forty percent feel that the present policy has a positive effect of reducing the amount of drinking, if not removing it completely.

The reduction in drinking is pronounced in Madras city and Madurai. On the other hand, the enforcement of prohibition is not strong in the districts of Dharmapuri, Periyar, Salem and Thanjavur.

The postal survey was conducted by students of the Statistics Department of the Madras Christian College as part of their practical training in the collection and processing of statistical data. Computer program was developed by undergraduate students and the data were processed on a Genie-I computer system in the Statistics department of the college.