Chennai: Nobody was very shocked when 89-year-old S. Duraisamy, a stalwart of Dravidian politics, stop the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) this Tuesday, accusing get together chief V. Gopalsamy, higher generally known as Vaiko, of “dynasty politics”. He had stated as a lot in a bombastic and broadly circulated letter in April, too.
Nevertheless, extra importantly, Duraisamy, presidium chairman of the MDMK till his resignation, has additionally recommended greater than as soon as that Vaiko ought to merge the get together with the state’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam (DMK) since there was not a lot distinction between them.
In his resignation letter, too, he reportedly stated it was finest to merge the MDMK with its “mom get together”, the DMK, for the sake of cadres.
Vaiko based MDMK in 1994, shortly after he was ousted from the DMK over ideological variations in addition to his vocal criticism of “dynasty politics” within the get together, the place it was changing into clear that patriarch M. Karunanidhi’s son M.Okay Stalin could be subsequent in line to steer the get together.
Stalin is at the moment the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the MDMK is part of the ruling DMK-led alliance.
Talking to ThePrint, Duraisamy stated that the MDMK’s finest likelihood of staying related is that if it merges with the DMK.
“MDMK was fashioned towards the backdrop of dynasty politics within the DMK. Vaiko had alleged that Karunanidhi was paving the way in which for Stalin by sidelining others. However now, Vaiko is simply repeating the identical for the entry of his son (MDMK normal secretary) Durai Vaiko,” Duraisamy alleged.
He added: “There isn’t any requirement of a separate get together — the MDMK — now. Relatively, they’ll merge with the DMK for the better good of the cadres and to struggle communal political events”.
Vaiko in a press meet Tuesday dismissed all of Duraisamy’s claims and described his name for a merger as “unusual”. He additionally claimed that his son’s ascent within the get together was a results of the latter’s reputation with cadres.
“They (Get together cadres) wished him to be included within the get together and I recommended a secret poll; 104 out of the 106 office-bearers voted in his favour,” Vaiko stated.
ThePrint reached Vaiko a number of instances over telephone for a remark, however acquired no response until the time of publication of this report.
In the meantime, Duraisamy’s demand for a merger of MDMK and DMK has acquired Tamil Nadu’s political observers pondering. If such a merger did ever come to cross, it will be akin to a ghar wapsi, or homecoming, for the MDMK, stated political analysts ThePrint spoke to.
The DMK, based by C.N Annadurai in 1949, has served because the bedrock of Dravidian politics in Tamil Nadu. Nevertheless, the get together has witnessed many splinter teams — together with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and MDMK — rising from its fold over the many years, often spearheaded by sidelined or expelled leaders.
Whereas some carved out their very own area of interest, others light into the background, if not oblivion.
Duraisamy, considerably, is the final surviving politician from the time of the unique undivided DMK.
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Fractured beginnings
The roots of the DMK return to the Justice Get together, which was fashioned in 1916 as a grouping of non-Brahmin leaders from Tamil Nadu. These leaders shared a standard agenda of selling social justice, rights for non-Brahmin teams, and Tamil language and tradition.
Within the Thirties, social reformer Periyar E. V. Ramasamy grew to become the chief of this get together and took a vivid younger political aspirant underneath his wing — C.N. Annadurai. The outfit modified its title to Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944, and propounded rationalism, ‘self-respect’, and Dravidian beliefs that proceed to form Tamil Nadu politics at this time.
Nevertheless, Annadurai and Ramaswamy fell out just a few years later.
A.S. Panneerselvan, a fellow at Chennai’s Roja Muthiah Analysis Library, traced the rising rigidity throughout the motion to 1947 when a distinction of opinion emerged between Annadurai and Periyar on the function of their organisation in newly-independent India.
“One of many variations was, are you going to be a part of a state construction or are you going to be outdoors the electoral system. There was a set of individuals led by Annadurai who felt that they wanted to be a part of the state system to make adjustments. Electoral participation was a purpose for the cut up,” stated Panneerselvan.
In 1949, Annadurai and his supporters fashioned a separate get together known as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (which interprets to Dravidian Progressive Federation), or DMK.
The get together had a gradual and bumpy begin. In its first electoral struggle within the meeting polls of 1957, it received solely 15 seats. 4 years later, it skilled its first cut up when Periyar’s nephew E.V.Okay. Sampath fashioned the Tamil Nationwide Get together, which later merged with the Congress.
Nevertheless, the DMK gained momentum within the 1962 election, securing 50 seats and changing into the opposition get together within the state.
Lastly, 18 years after its formation, the DMK acquired its large breakthrough in 1967, when it grew to become the primary non-Congress get together to type a authorities in Tamil Nadu with a transparent majority.
This marked the decisive starting of Dravidian politics within the state, successfully marginalising nationwide events just like the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Get together in Tamil Nadu.
Following the demise of Annadurai in 1969, M. Karunanidhi took over the DMK management, surpassing V.N. Nedunchezhiyan, a senior member of the get together, who had briefly served as appearing CM.
Karunanidhi subsequently grew to become the get together head and Chief Minister, with the help of the vast majority of get together members.
Huge bang AIADMK, damp squib Makkal DMK
In 1972, movie star-turned politician M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) was expelled from the DMK, reportedly following to a conflict between him and Karunanidhi.
Shortly thereafter, MGR, who loved a mass help base, floated a celebration named after Annadurai: the Anna DMK (later generally known as the AIADMK). In 1977, the get together swept the meeting polls, with MGR ascending to the put up of Chief Minister.
Across the identical time, senior DMK chief Nedunchezhiyan additionally stop the get together and fashioned the Makkal Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which quickly merged with AIADMK.
“The rationale for the cut up was quite simple,” stated analyst Panneerselvan. “The DMK had misplaced energy in 1977 and AIADMK got here to energy, Nedunchezhiyan and three different senior cupboard colleagues of Karunanidhi after dropping energy floated the get together and after six months finally merged with AIADMK.”
AIADMK divisions, and a caste-based cut up
After coming to energy in 1977, MGR stayed put within the CM’s chair (save for a short spell of President’s rule in 1980) till his loss of life in 1987.
There have been just a few inside conflicts and splits within the AIADMK throughout MGR’s reign. As an example, Nanjil Okay. Manoharan, a senior chief who was instrumental within the AIADMK’s development, returned to the DMK in 1980, and expelled chief S.D. Somasundaram began a celebration known as Namathu Kazhagum in 1984.
Nevertheless, a full-fledged factional warfare broke out solely after MGR’s loss of life, between his spouse Janaki Ramachandran and his protégé J. Jayalalithaa.
Finally, Jayalalithaa prevailed after the 1989 meeting election and helmed the get together as its undisputed chief till her loss of life in 2016, regardless of just a few makes an attempt at rebel.
As an example, Neduncheyian, who fashioned a rival faction simply forward of the 1989 elections, returned to the AIADMK later. In 1996, S. Thirunavukkarassu fashioned the MGR Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam after a rift with Jayalalithaa. The get together contested with BJP backing within the 2001 Legislative polls and finally joined the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee.
None of those splinter events, nevertheless, might turn into a political power throughout Jayalalithaa’s lifetime, analysts say. After her demise, although, issues appear to have modified.
In 2018, after a spell of infighting throughout the AIADMK, ousted chief T.T.V Dhinakaran— nephew of Jayalalithaa aide Sasikala — fashioned the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).
In Might this yr, ex-CM and expelled AIADMK chief O. Panneerselvam, or OPS, joined arms with one-time rival Dhinakaran to tackle not simply the DMK however “betrayers” within the AIADMK, which is at the moment led by Edappadi Okay Palaniswami, or EPS. Sasikala, OPS, and Dhinakaran all belong to the state’s influential Thevar neighborhood, whereas EPS enjoys a powerful help base among the many Gounder neighborhood.
The AMMK reportedly seeks to leverage the AIADMK’s Thevar vote-bank in its personal favour.
In response to analyst Panneerselvan, this caste-based flip is a departure from traditional politics in Tamil Nadu.
“After Jayalalithaa’s loss of life, the cut up is an fascinating one. Earlier than, the splits throughout the Dravidian events had been by no means casteist. That is the primary time that caste affiliation is enjoying a serious function within the get together cut up,” he stated.
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Start and fading of MDMK
There was a time when Vaiko, now 79 years previous and a Rajya Sabha MP, was one of the vital distinguished leaders within the DMK, arguably second solely to Karunanidhi. He joined the get together within the Nineteen Sixties, was famed for his eloquent and fiery oratory, and was a powerful votary of Tamil nationalism.
Nevertheless, a rift grew over time. In 1989, Vaiko reportedly undertook a clandestine journey to satisfy Velupillai Prabhakaran, the chief of Sri Lanka’s militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which had been engaged in a face-off with the Indian Military.
“Vaiko’s Sri Lankan go to in 1989 with out informing Karunanidhi was an embarrassing state of affairs for the DMK,” political analyst Priyan Srinivasan advised ThePrint.
This additionally ostensibly furthered the notion that Vaiko was getting somewhat too large for his boots and was making an attempt to emerge as a challenger to Karunanidhi scion Stalin.
“Across the identical time, a gaggle supporting Vaiko had grown throughout the DMK and this was perceived as a menace to Stalin, who was being groomed to be the subsequent in command,” Srinivasan defined.
The large turning level got here in 1993, when Karunanidhi accused Vaiko of plotting with the LTTE to assassinate him and expelled the chief from the get together.
In 1994, Vaiko fashioned the MDMK, with a number of different chief — together with two-time MLA S. Duraisamy — becoming a member of him.
Nevertheless, Vaiko’s help base by no means fairly translated into electoral heft.
For over 20 years, because it was fashioned, the MDMK relied on partnerships. It solid an alliance with the AIADMK for the 2001 meeting election and 2009 Lok Sabha polls, with the DMK within the 2004 Lok Sabha election, after which with the BJP within the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
It even created a six-party entrance known as the Makkal Nala Kootani to problem the DMK and AIADMK in 2016.
Following the passing of Karunanidhi in 2018, the MDMK as soon as once more revived its ties with the DMK for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and has ridden pillion with it ever since, albeit at the price of its personal id.
Duraisamy identified that in that election [2019], in addition to the 2021 meeting polls, MDMK candidates had been compelled to contest underneath the rising solar image of the DMK.
In that election, DMK acquired 133 of 234 meeting seats, the AIADMK bagged 66, and the MDMK received 4 of the merely six seats it contested.
In response to Duraisamy, the get together is not bringing something substantial to the fray.
“The rationale why Vaiko isn’t merging with the DMK is as a result of he thinks that he can profit from being a person get together. If you wish to struggle communal events, you possibly can be a part of the DMK and struggle them. Why do you want a person get together?” he argued.
Some analysts agree. “The need for having a celebration just like the MDMK has turn into outdated and out of date,” stated Srinivasan.
Dravidian bastion vs nationwide events
Ever for the reason that DMK first got here to energy, Dravidian events have fashioned the primary pillar of Tamil Nadu’s electoral politics.
Analysts say all these events purport to face for 5 key ideas, all based mostly on the imaginative and prescient of Annadurai — social justice, ladies’s empowerment, casteless and equal society, Tamil Nadu’s state rights, and self-respect.
Previously 5 many years, Tamil Nadu has been primarily dominated by both the DMK or AIADMK, leaving nationwide events like Congress and BJP depending on them for electoral success.
Nevertheless, a number of different Dravidian events have additionally emerged, some with notable achievements.
One such get together is the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), based by actor Vijayakanth in 2005.
Within the 2011 state meeting polls, in alliance with left events and AIADMK, the DMDK received 29 of the 40 seats it contested, changing into the primary opposition get together, leaving even the DMK in third place.
Nevertheless, DMDK’s subsequent makes an attempt to type a 3rd entrance with the MDMK within the 2014 polls didn’t yield a lot fruit, and the get together’s efficiency within the following elections has been disappointing.
After the passing of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi, a political vacuum emerged within the state, main actor Kamal Haasan to launch a celebration known as Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in 2017.
Throughout its launch, Haasan hademphasised that his get together was neither left nor proper however centred on Dravidian ideology. Nevertheless, within the 2021 meeting polls, MNM didn’t safe any seats regardless of contesting from 183 constituencies, managing solely a 2.62 per cent vote share.
One other standard actor, Rajinikanth, had expressed his intention to launch a celebration, however in December 2021, he introduced that he wouldn’t proceed because of well being points.
Within the meantime, the BJP, which remains to be piggy-backing on its ally AIADMK, has been persistently making an attempt to make inroads within the state.
Analysts level out that there’s excessive stress on Dravidian events to uphold the prevailing political ecosystem.
“Due to BJP’s try and make inroads into the state, the necessity for the presence of Dravidian events within the state is far stronger. At current the Stalin-led DMK has a tricky ideological battle with BJP. If Stalin lets go this time, then the political course of the state will change,” Priyan stated.
He added that Stalin is going through what is maybe the largest check but for the DMK: “With the burden of the get together on his shoulders, Stalin is now confronting a better problem than Karunanidhi.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
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