The dynastic rule continues in TN
Udhayanidhi Stalin‘s induction as Minister in the M K Stalin Council of Ministers has lots of internal tussles not only in the DMK but in the first family. Stalin will need a lot of balms to soothe the anger of his step-sister Kanimozhi.
The induction of Udhayanidhi indicates that the DMK has to strive hard to repeat the 38 Lok Sabha seat sweep in 2024. This is despite strong political messaging being done before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The question is whether the voter will fall for the DMK’s tricks…
The DMK organization will be energized. District cadres of DMK will be activated. But was this the timing of the grand entry of Udhayanidhi right?
Why now? Is it to spruce up the image of the 18 months old Ministry of Stalin?
Massive internal conflicts
DMK is undergoing massive internal conflicts. Serious differences in political approach by district secretaries. And the government bureaucracy is not that supportive as DMK suspects the deep-rooted AIADMK influence in the IAS and the IPS. As always the North Indians in Tamil Nadu cadre also create discomfort for smooth sailing of administration. A big headache for M K Stalin is the outreach of Governor R N Ravi. A parallel narrative is set by R N Ravi in his pro-Hindutiva, pro-Union government speeches. The Governor is not giving consent to various acts of the Tamil Nadu Assembly. These are the factors for the Chief Minister to recast his council of ministers, with the induction of his son Udhayanidhi.
The hurry to induct Udhayanidhi could be due to administrative pressure on Chief Minister. Or is it to groom Udhayanidhi before the 2023 Tamil Nadu Budget? Known as Udhay among his supporters, Chinnavar, (the English version of Chinnavar is the younger in the family) Udhayanaihi is the first-time MLA from Chepauk – Tiruvallikeni Assembly Constituency in Chennai is allotted Youth Affairs and Sports Development and Special Programme Implementation portfolios. What does it mean? Will Udhayanidhi be part of the 2023 Tamil Nadu Budget preparation? Or will he reply to senior Ministers’ questions in the Tamil Nadu Assembly? Only time can answer these questions. But a few senior Ministers of M K Stalin are certainly rattled. Duraimurugan who is aged 81, wants to pave way for youth to take over DMK. A few political observers also comment that the changing narratives of ideologies in the youth of Tamil Nadu – which is pro-Hindu and pro-Narendra Modi. The Tamil Youth are attracted by K Annamalai the Tamil Nadu president of the BJP. The huge crowds that Annamalai attracts have forced the media to pay attention to the BJP in the state and perhaps forced the DMK to induct Udhayanidhi.
Brick for AIIMS
Suddenly, Udhayanidhi presented a brick to his father as a gift in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll sweep by DMK. The reason is that Udhayanidhi picked up the brick from Madurai, where the All India Institute of Medical Science was not coming up, as was promised by the Narendra Modi government. This unethical gesture was commented upon by BJP Chief Annamalai. There were law and order issues. Coimbatore blasts. religious conversions, NIA arrests. DMK was getting bad media. To set these right DMK might have planned a reshuffle of Stalin’s Ministry and also to induce youth with Udhayanidhi getting a berth in Stalin’s government.
What about Sabareesan?
Stalin’s strategy is to neutralize the power center in the party, government, and in the family too. If you analyze the timing, there has been discord among the senior ministers in Stalin’s Cabinet, who overshoot their personalities. Stalin unlike his father is unable to control the motor mouth ministers. As a matter of fact, recently, M K Stalin in the DMK General Council meeting admitted that he does not get sleep due to bickering among the DMK leaders. Stalin also stated that he is in fragile health and that he would not expect the following day’s newspaper headlines. Stalin’s speech was an indication that something worst was to happen. But it ended with the induction of Udhayanidhi. Now, the fiscal condition of the Tamil Nadu government is not conducive. Stalin is unable to fulfill the 2021 Assembly Poll manifesto to give thousands of rupees every month to women and reduce petrol and diesel prices. Turning to family, there is a “Damad Sri”- in the form of Sabareesan, the all-powerful son-in-law, a Robert Vadra type. Massive importance is accorded to Sabareesan by the babudom, party cadre, and of course by the members of the Karunanidhi family. In a lighter vein, a political commentator put it that Stalin effectively brought in a “single window clearance” system, through “Damad Sri” Sabareesan.
Kani, tera kya hoga?
A few Tamil Youtube Channels which are active in providing insights into the first family also hint at the distancing of Kanimozhi. She is the daughter of the other wife of Karunanidhi. Kanimozhi feels sidelined. She was greeted on her birthday by a special phone call from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. These juicy stories being sprinkled give undue speculation about the palace secrets of the first family. More to it, the induction of Udhayanidhi is also being considered to keep a balance between the disgruntled old leaders like T R Baalu, Jagathrakshakan, A Raja, and S S Palanimanikkam, who are 6 or 7 times MPs. In the present Lok Sabha, many of the MPs owe allegiance to Udhayanidhi than to M K Stalin. Such was the pick-up in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Also, a similar strategy was adopted to get more Udhayanidhi picks up for MLAs in the 2021 Assembly polls. M K Stalin’s political approach toward the Union government is quite interesting. Especially after the Gujarat polls. Stalin does not want to antagonize Narendra Modi. DMK is also getting lots of pinpricks from its allies like Congress, VCK, and Communists.
Stalin walking a tightrope
Stalin is adopting a balanced politics. The two-time DMK leader M K Stalin meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi is somewhat intriguing. After the one-on-one meeting with Narendra Modi, there is a static silence in DMK’s vehement attacks on the BJP. The outburst of Duraimurugan, the General Secretary of DMK that the BJP is enlarging its footprint like an Octopus in Tamil Nadu suggests major discord in the party.
Two major factors that created discomfort in the DMK ruling alliance are the Supreme Court release of 7 accused in Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, and subsequently, the Congress approaching the apex court by imploring the Centre to review the court ruling. The other is the EWS quota. There have been contradictory views from the All India Congress Committee while DMK is totally opposed to the EWS quota as pronounced by the Supreme Court. Whichever way one looks at the induction of Udhayanidhi, there are pluses and minuses.
In short son’s induction to the father’s Cabinet is political fodder for BJP at the all-India level, to propagate “gore parivarvad” still prevalent in state parties.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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