Until some years ago, a typical male politician in Tamil Nadu had to mandatorily wear a spotless white khadi shirt and dhoti to appeal to the common man. Sporting modern attire would have prompted people to dub him an elitist. At one point in time when it came to finalising the head of a government in a coalition regime, some of the traditional politicians took enormous pride in declaring, “a dhoti-clad Tamil will decide who becomes the Prime Minister.”
However, with demographic changes indicating that youth and first time voters of the social media age could play a key role in deciding the electoral fortunes of a candidate, some politicians have begun to reinvent themselves to reach out to this segment of population.
The competition to present oneself in an avatar that is deemed more acceptable to the younger generation has become so intense that politicians who are beginning to don colourful shirts and trousers are attracting criticism from rivals.
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While a few politicians like former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, Puthiya Tamilagam leader Dr. Krishnasamy and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol. Thirumavalavan had taken to modern attire ever since their political debut, of late DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin has been attracting attention for his colourful clothing choices. Politicians like PMK chief ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss, who is also seen mostly wearing trousers and shirts, have criticised Mr. Stalin accusing him of desperately attempting to cover up his ageing looks.
Mr. Stalin, who has undertaken a political road show titled ‘Namakku Naame’, has however denied that his new attire is an attempt to present himself as a younger politician or only to woo first time voters. While acknowledging that his new dressing sense has helped strike a chord with the youth and students, the DMK leader has claimed he loved wearing colourful clothes. Besides, he has said that walking is more comfortable when he is dressed in a trouser and wears sports shoes.
Mr. Thirumavalavan, who has shied away from wearing a dhoti, is clear on his choice. “I never had the habit of wearing dhoti and I am comfortable with pants and shirts. I do not want to change my dress code just because I have entered politics,” he said.
According to him, in an era of globalisation, changes would inevitably take place in the food and dressing habit of all regions in the world. “I do not agree with the argument that we should preserve our dress code at any cost in the name of tradition,” he said.
Even when he was the member of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Thirumavalavan attended the House wearing pants and shirts. Dr Krishnasamy, a cardiologist by qualification and a member of the current Assembly, has always stood out in his branded apparels since 1991.
Politics of dressing
| 1 | As Chief Minister when K. Kamaraj visited the USSR, he insisted on wearing dhoti, rejecting the suggestion that a suit would be an ideal dress for the cold weather there. |
| 2 | DMK founder and former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai traditionally wore a dhoti and shirt but when he went abroad he opted for the coat and suit. |
| 3 | The present generation may never have seen DMK president M. Karunanidhi in formal attire. But when he was Chief Minister in the sixties and early seventies, he used to occasionally wear a suit for official functions and while travelling abroad. |
| 4 | Former Deputy Speaker Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, now in the AIADMK, started wearing pants for “protection” after his dhoti would come off occasionally when he was forcefully evicted from the House during 1991-96. |
| 5 | Congress leader P. Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu’s most prominent face in New Delhi, has opted for the spotless dhoti despite his Harvard education background. |
