How MGR and Jayalalithaa are helping Stalin's DMK

The DMK under M K Stalin is quietly fashioning a new strategy to woo MGR and J Jayalalithaa loyalists into the party. With the induction of former ministers Senthil Balaji and R S Raja Kannappan (a few days ago), Stalin has sent a message to the AIADMK cadres that the DMK’s doors are wide open for them. With former ministers S Regupathy, T M Selvaganapathy and S Muthusamy given prominent party positions, as also MGR loyalists K P Ramalingam, K K S S R Ramachandran, and Sekhar Babu, the DMK today looks more like an MGR DMK, holding out an olive branch particularly to the actor-politician’s followers in the AIADMK. medium nocaption74456184Senthil Balaji has proved to be a useful acquisition for the DMK as he not only helped win the Aravakurichi assembly seat but has also shored up the party in Karur district, generally considered weak for the party. Kannappan is an influential leader of the Yadava community, and brings in a vote bank which would be handy for the DMK. Besides, his association with the DMK could trigger an exodus from the old-timers’ camp in the AIADMK, according to DMK managers. medium nocaption74460553Selvaganapathy in Salem and Muthusamy in the Erode-Coimbatore belt are expected to push for a powerful DMK strategy to counter the dominance of the E Palaniswami (EPS)-led AIADMK in the western belt. S Jagathrakshakan, who was aloof from the AIADMK for a long time, and was associated with MGR Kazhagam, formed by another minister of MGR’s cabinet, R M Veerappan, formally joined the DMK and is now the party’s MP. Jagathrakshakan is active in the field of religion and spiritualism, and his promotion in the party helps counter the criticism that the DMK is anti-Hinduism. medium nocaption74456146 medium nocaption74456163Karur M Chinnasamy,a member of Jayalalithaa’s first Cabinet, and Subbulakshmi Jegadeesan, a minister in MGR’s cabinet, too, are projected by the DMK as its prominent leaders.Stalin’s subtle praise of MGR and Jayalalithaa, especially his commitment towards a full-scale investigation into her death, is aimed at Jaya loyalists, particularly women. At the same time, Stalin, who turned 67 on Sunday, realises he is walking a tight rope as he has to ensure his core constituency – leaders and cadres of his own party – is not upset over the influx of AIADMK members. The DMK top brass has managed to convince its second-rung leaders that they would not be deprived of opportunities, and that the new arrivals were meant to help expand their base. Stalin knows the leadership is aging and that young blood is a must, particularly to nip in the bud attempts by Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth to wean away DMK youth.The DMK had suffered in 1972 when MGR’s new party took away a chunk of the youth, who led the enthusiastic crowds during rallies and campaigning. The party cannot afford to lose this segment all over again. The arrivals could also offset or minimise any losses on this front. The DMK is looking to expand its organisational wings, bring in more leaders from the AIADMK to cut the latter’s vote bank. As taking away one vote from the AIADMK and bringing it into the DMK kitty amounts to two votes.The DMK’s top leadership, however, maintains there is no new strategy to get MGR loyalists. DMK spokesman T K S Elangovan says, “We have taken in people from the AIADMK in the past if they accept the DMK ideology (like Nanjil Manoharan and Subbulakshmi Jegadeesan). Later too, K P Ramalingam and KKSSR Ramachandran joined us. However, it is true that there is an undercurrent in the AIADMK wherein many of its leaders are worried over the loss of MGR and Jayalalithaa. They realise that the party is rudderless and lacks decisive and strong leadership.” medium nocaption74460542Elangovan says a section in the AIADMK feels Stalin is a leader, in whom people of the state see a future. “The AIADMK leaders are also worried over the impact of the party’s close ties with the BJP, and the concentration of both EPS and O Panneerselvam (OPS) to grab posts for their supporters alone, leaving MGR and Jayalalithaa loyalists in the lurch. There is bound to be an exodus from the AIADMK to the DMK in the coming months as the AIADMK rule comes to a close,” he says.The posts given to those who made the switch is a clear signal to the restless elements in the AIADMK that they would be well looked after in the new avatar of the DMK.(The writer is a veteran journalist)