Winds of change sweep political landscape

Despite both rising to the top, the political journey of Stalin and Sasikala is a study in contrast

January 05, 2017 07:46 am | Updated 07:46 am IST - CHENNAI

: With the appointment of V.K. Sasikala as the general secretary of the AIADMK and M.K. Stalin’s elevation as the working president of DMK, there has been a generational change in the leadership of Dravidian parties after several decades. While unexpected turn of events in the AIADMK resulted in Ms. Sasikala’s ascension, Mr. Stalin took many years to reach his present position.

“While we are not defending succession of family members in political parties, there is a lot of difference between what is happening in the DMK and the AIADMK. Mr. Stalin has proved himself in the party and in administration. In the case of Ms. Sasikala, she has never been in the forefront, both in politics and governance, and operated from the backroom,” said Ramu Manivannan of the Department of Politics and Public Administration of the Madras University.

In fact, Mr. Stalin, in his address after his election as the working president, asserted that he fully deserved the elevation as he had climbed the ladder step by step through assiduous efforts over half a century. “Please do not assume that I am standing before you just to express my gratitude,” he said.

As early as in 1966, he formed the DMK youth group, which was converted into the party’s youth wing in 1980, and campaigned for the party in the 1967 Assembly elections.

“Even in the Chennai Corporation election, I held the megaphone and sought votes for the Rising Sun symbol,” he recalled in the meeting.

He was arrested during Emergency in 1976 and faced repression in prison. It was late Mayor Chittibabu who saved him from the attacks of jail guards, and in the process, suffered severe injury.

Mr. Stalin, who is also the secretary of the youth wing and treasurer of the party, was also the first elected Mayor of Chennai in 1996.

Earlier in 1989, he was elected to the Assembly from the Thousand Lights constituency. Barring the 1991 election, which saw the AIADMK being swept to power, he won all the Assembly elections. In 2001, he was re-elected as the Mayor, but was forced to step down in the wake of a legislation enacted by the AIADMK government that barred a person from holding two posts.

A steady rise

The 2000s witnessed Mr. Stalin gaining control over the party organisation and the government. He became the deputy general secretary in 2003 and minister of rural development after the DMK was elected to power in 2006. After two years, he became the treasurer of the party, the post once held by his father. The following year, his stocks in the government went up and he became deputy Chief Minister.

“His election as working president has placed him on a par with party president and he can express his views independently on all issues. He can no longer say that it is for our leader to comment,” said K. Thirunavukkarasu, historian of the Dravidian movement.

Writer A. Marx, however, described both the developments as a great setback to democracy. “Family politics has once again firmly entrenched itself in the State. Honesty, talent and efficiency do not seem to have any place here. All you need today is loyalty and obedience,” he said.

Responding to the contention that Mr. Stalin had a gradual rise in the party and had proven his mettle, Mr. Marx said there were equally, or more talented people in all political parties, but only sons and daughters of leaders could get prominence.

Mr. Manivannan also opined that the changes in two parties had disappointed those who were looking for an alternative to Dravidian parties. “The shift is painfully slow,” he said.

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