Tamil Nadu has in the past too witnessed sections of people rallying behind individuals, including some politicians with a “clean” image, hoping that their emergence in the political establishment will lead to good governance. However, invariably such individuals were no match to the well-oiled political machinery of Dravidian parities and fell by the wayside during elections.
The 1980s saw the emergence of social worker M.S. Udayamurthy’s ‘Makkal Sakthi Iyakkam’ as an alternative to the then existing political parties in Tamil Nadu. He was so popular that late acclaimed director K. Balachandar borrowed his slogan “Unnal Mudiyum Thambi” (You can do it, brother) as a title for his film and named his hero (Kamal Haasan) after Mr. Udayamurthy.
However, candidates of the Makkal Sakthi Iyakkam came a cropper in the elections. Mr. Udayamurthy gradually faded out from public memory and only obituary references in newspaper reminded people about the man who sought to brought in a social change.
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Voters have largely gone by the standing of a political party instead of politicians who individually enjoy a reputation of being honest. A classic example was the defeat of Kakkan, a Minister in the Kamaraj Cabinet, who was known to commute by public transport. He later died a pauper in a Government Hospital.
Similarly, CPI stalwart R. Nallakannu, who turned 91 on Saturday, was rejected by voters of Coimbatore notwithstanding his image as a common man’s leader.
Even the well-educated have bit the dust in elections when they had tried to take on established political parities.
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Sarath Babu, a graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, who came from humble origins, took to politics at a young age in 2004 as a candidate of the Lok Paritran, but cut a sorry figure.
He later joined the DMDK, but exited soon after.