Tamil Nadu’s political ‘circus’ no more funny online

The twists and turns in the political situation in Tamil Nadu in the recent months have left

social media

users dazed and disinterested. Unlike in 2016 and earlier this year, when social media was flooded with videos and

memes

reflecting people’s thoughts on political developments, user interest on the same has waned in the past two months.

When MLAs were given a nearly 100% pay hike in July, social media was quick to lampoon the move. Now, active social media users say they are angry to see legislators wash their dirty linen in public, but have lost interest in following or commenting on such developments.

"A few months ago the political situation in the state seemed to be stabilising. It seemed the leadership had credibility, and people could get on with their lives," says Aswin Rao of Put Chutney, a popular humour channel on YouTube. However, things took a turn for the worse, leaving people confused, he adds.

Rao points out that last year many web channels ran campaigns to encourage people, especially youngsters, to vote in the assembly elections. "Our plight is so bad now that cracking a joke at politicians is like laughing at ourselves, as we elected them. If they are not functioning effectively, it reflects on us. Sometimes it seems they are not taking politics seriously," he says.

Many say popular reality show Bigg Boss Tamil may have also taken away the public’s attention from TN’s political ‘circus’. Meme creators have had a field day with the controversies that have erupted since the show aired in June. In one video that went viral recently, a reporter asks an old man to guess who would be the next chief minister of TN; pat comes the reply that it would be ‘Oviya’ — one of the show’s most loved contestants.

"People across the state seem to relate more to the politics within the Big Boss house, than what’s happening in the state’s political circle," says V Sumesh, who owns a mobile accessories store, and is active on social media.

Vijay Varadharaj, comedian and co-founder of Temple Monkeys, another popular comedy channel on YouTube, avers that Bigg Boss has been a big distraction. "They timed the launch well," he says. He feels that public anger was "spent" after the jallikattu and farmers’ protests ended. "Most of us have little knowledge of politics. And with so many new developments, people are confused," he adds.

Vikas Chawla, co-founder of Social Beat, a digital marketing agency, points out that during elections, the social media wings of political parties also make efforts to "create that buzz and excitement online, and to build identities", which is not the case now. However, he adds that he has seen a few entertaining memes and videos on TN politics in the last few weeks. "It boils down to creating content that is engaging. If there is great content, there are enough people to share it."

Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.