By T.S.Venkatesan
Politics around TamilNadu after RajiniKant’s decision and M.K.Azhagiri’s move!
Expelled from DMK and the eldest son of Karunanidhi (through his second wife Dayalu) M K Azhagiri openly asserted that his younger sibling, CM face of DMK led alliance M K Stalin would not become Chief Minister of this state and his followers would ensure that job. There are already visible cracks in DMK combine indicating all is not well and before polls it may dis-integrate into divisions if present happenings are any pointer.
Former Union Minister Alagiri , who is fondly called by his followers as’ Anjaa Nejan’ ( brave heart), was expelled from DMK his father Karunanidhi in 2014. He has been trying to be re-inducted in the party since that. He accused Stalin, who was behind his expulsion, was a stumbling block in his re-induction. He continued to try for a patch up with party even his demise of Karunanidhi. After waiting in political wilderness, on and off he would address media persons indicating his political plunge.
Azhagiri came to Chennai to seek blessings of his mother Dayalu ammal on 25th and told reporters that he lost hope to get a re-entry into DMK and would discuss with his supporters on 3rd of this month to chalk out his further course of action. As announced, he had a meeting of his followers in Madurai on 3rd January.
Addressing his supporters and later to media persons, Azhagiri thundered that his younger brother Stalin “can never become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. My supporters and I will ensure it”. Azhagiri is back in the forefront of TN politics just months ahead of the state assembly polls and blamed Stalin for betraying him and sabotaging his political career by making unfounded allegations to his father that led to his expulsion and losing union minister post.
Azhagiri, who veils influence among his supports in southern parts of Tamil nadu, is viewed as a spoiler for DMK’s easy win. DMK , which has engaged the services of I- PAC to advise poll strategies, is already facing fire from the public.
More precisely for its anti-Hindu and minority appeasement comments, anti-Modi protests and its role in protests like hydro carbon, methane, 8 lane highway project, Sterlite, NEP, anti-CAA, farmers acts, go back Modi campaigns. Party insiders say, seniors are not respected. It follows the diktats of Prashant Kishore. IPAC after assessing constituency wise survey, made a list of probable candidates with winnability, caste, local influence and tract record of work.
If the list is taken, more than 70 sitting and senior MLAs would not get a chance again to contest, They may switch over to BJP or Azhagiri’s new party if he launches a party. VCK and MDMK indicated their firm stand that they would not contest on DMK’s rising sun symbol but with their own party symbols only. Rajini kant’s decision not to enter electoral active politics, fringe parties like VCK, MDMK in DMK camp and PMK, Vijaykant’s DMDK in NDA combine. have got a better bargaining power.
If Azhagiri launches a new party before the assembly elections, it may play a spoil sport for DMK. This assembly poll see a spoilers, proxies, B-teams and also- rans in the arena making things difficult for main political majors like DMK and AIADMK”.
Journalist Nambi Naryanan said “ Sun TV group owners, especially Dayanidhi Maran , it is learnt, felt that his importance was diminishing in the party by propping up Stalin’s son-in-law Sabreesdan in key decision making point of person. To offset this, Dayanidhi Maran has been backing up Udayanidhi Stalin. Recently Sun TV released advertisements eulogizing current AIADMK government.
A little known DMK MP questioned Maran brothers why did they release the advertisement in a prime time slot .it was done with a motive. He asked them they could not wash off their hands simply saying it was for revenue. Sun TV group is doing business in crores and this few lakh rupees worth advt would be mean for them. If you viewed his speech, the MP had the backing of Stalin.
Karunanidhi never did anything without the knowledge of his nephew Murasoli Maran. Maran brothers as business magnet, are exploring alternative avenues for their future survival”.
Azhagiri claimed he was thrown out of the DMK despite being a selfless cadre and blamed Stalin who is trying to appropriate his father’s legacy by projecting himself as his political heir. He accused his younger brother of blocking out Karunanidhi legacy and his welfare measures, Stalin is trying to project him and his son only. Speaking to his followers at an auditorium in Madurai , he stopped short of naming his political party. [ there are posters and banners in the temple city hailing to the launch of “Karunanidhi DMK (KDMK) ].
He listed out his contribution to the party. tohis supporters and to people. He said he was thrown out and labelled a ‘betrayer’ despite his selfless work for the party over the years. “ my leadership had helped DMK win many polls in southern Tamil nadu and was appreciated by my father. Thirumangalam by poll, which earned the Thirumangalam formula” ( it was alleged that during the by-poll , voters were given 1,000 , 2,000 cash for votes hidden in newspapers and covers).
Denying this allegation, Azhagiri said due to hard work we won the by-poll. When Stalin sought my support to grab posts in the party, I readily extended my support. I told my father to I do not wish party porsts or in power in the party and fulfill stalin’s wishes. But they call me betrayer. To this day, I do not know what wrong I did to be expelled from the party. Stalin betrayed me”. He said “ I only wanted to be a party worker and never aspired for party posts. We turned Madurai, which was MGR’s fortress into a DMK bastion.
It is a pity that Stalin was compared with Karunanidhi by a local DMK district secretary saying Stalin had done ever better than Karunanidhi. I feel ashamed to hear this. How can they compare Stalin with Karunanidhi? Karunanidhi is the life-breath of the party but Stalin and others have forgotten him and are running the party.
At no point could Stalin transcend the qualities and character of Karunanidhi. No one can replace him in entire world. I had been the savior of DMK on several occasions. I recommended to my father that Stalin be made treasurer of the party. I was silent for seven years. My supporters want me to float a party. I will take a decision. But whatever decision I take, I want all of you to abide by it”.
Political observers view Azhagiri’s meeting his supporters, who came in large numbers, was a show of strength and a warning to DMK leadership to take note of the writing on the walls and to re-admit him in the party.
Like Rajini Kant, he is yet to make up his mind to announce a political party. Earlier, he said he would meet Rajini kant after his political party was formed. There was a speculation, Azhagiri in all probabilities would join the NDA alliance. In that eventuality, it will spoil the DMK’s winning chances.
Unlike Stalin, the elder son of Karunanidhi Azhagiri can be accessible to his followers and public, speak without chit of paper, extempore and bold with committed cadres. But he is not good at English which is handy cap. For his supporters he is a messiah who would readily extend help in times of emergency by coming to their place of living.
In a related development, MDMK chief Vaiko called on the Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at Raj Bhavan. Vaiko may forge an alliance comprising Congress and VCK if enough number of seats were not given to them and denied contesting with their own party symbols. DMK has decided to field 200 candidates( total 234 seats) and a set target of winning all the seats it would contest.
It has accommodate MDMK, VCK, IMUL and other fringe outfits. Following furor from Muslim political parties including Manithaneya makkal Katchi, IUML, Congress, the DMK was forced to drop its decision to invite AIMIM leader Asadudin Owaisi. DMK’s minority win secretary Masthan had air-dashed to Hyderabad to personally invite them for the public meeting named “ Itayangalil inaippom ( Let us unite hearts) scheduled in Chennai on 6th January.
Muslim parties in the DMK alliance are opposed to the move to bring in AIMIM into TN political space as unwarranted. They said it would not be of any use to DMK alliance as the AIMIM does not have any base in the state. His inclusion is perceived to bring down the morale of the cadre of other Islamic parties in TN. “ Stalin has been telling in all his meeting that split in AIADMK is certain. But does not know what his happening in his own party.
The simmering cauldron may burst any time”, says political observers. DMK launched a “we reject AIADMK’campaign. Despite ban , it organizes Gram Sabha meetings wherein only selected party cadres would ask preset question to Stalin who will answer. It is alleged most of them brought by promising money and meals. In a recent meeting, a women who asked a question was asked to go out by Stalin as she was the selected person to ask question.
Its cadres assaulted her and misbehaved with her even in the presence of police and public. “ Gram sabha is a place anybody can attend from the that locality. Why she was thrown out by branding sent by AIADMK camp. Stalin should have allowed her to raise question and tried to answer. He is organizing meetings against government ban.
Only gram sabha heads can hold such meetings. It is nothing but DMK meeting in the name of Gram sabha meet. ” says a Coimbatore based AIADMK cadre Suresh.
AIADMK minister Rajendra Balaj hit out Stalin after the attack on an AIADMK woman leader in Stalin’s gram sabha meet. AIADMK shames DMK’s attack on women functonary.
“MK Stalin would have been decimated from his political career If we had taken revenge against him during the last ten years of our rule. BJP leader and former IPS officer K Annamalai said what happened at Stalin’s function in Thondamuthur recently is condemnable.
Chasing away a woman just because she questioned him and the party workers trying to assault her when she is police custody reflect that DMK is not safe for a woman.