T.T.V. Dhinakaran has sought to read a larger message in the election victory. R. K. Nagar voters, however, may well have taken a much more limited view of what they needed to do in the election, and many who voted for him may not have seen their vote as an endorsement of his leadership at the State level. For some, the byelection was not the real McCoy, as a quote from a voter showed in a report in The Hindu on December 21.
The general election due in 2021 is what, for voters, decides the fate of the government. The R.K. Nagar vote was likely a voice against the present AIADMK regime’s leadership, and voters chose Mr. Dhinakaran over the candidate of the DMK whose campaign was rather lucklustre.
Yet, that the voters of the constituency also chose him over the official AIADMK endowed with the hugely popular ‘two leaves’ symbol gives a clue to what Tamil voters likely expect in a leader.
Mr. Dhinakaran’s only claim to political credibility is that he is part of Sasikala’s family that was closely involved in the AIADMK. His public career has been marred by many criminal cases against him. In the last one year, he has faced serious charges. The previous byelection was cancelled, largely on account of the Election officials finding evidence of large-scale cash distribution by his campaign.
The recent I-T raids against the Sasikala family led to even some members of the family publicly contradicting Mr. Dhinakaran’s stand that the raids were acts of vendetta by the Centre. Yet, he has struck to his guns and appeared unfazed.
In public, Mr. Dhinakaran comes across as confident, strong and dismissive of opponents. He may not be seen as standing for principles or ethics, but to Tamils, that may not be the key factor in leadership.
Voters in the State have a track record of supporting leaders with dodgy ethical records but these leaders showed a commitment to their welfare and performed. Tamil Nadu voters would rather choose leaders who would deliver the goods for them while they could get on with their lives. The voters would, from time to time, punish the leaders for excesses, but those punishments were never forever and were often mere rebukes.
It may be too early to see Mr. Dhinakaran as a leader of stature. But the die seems to have been cast.
A churning is likely to unfold in State politics, and a leader, who is able to demonstrate strength and poise while carrying a convincing message that he or she will perform, may emerge. Some 25 years ago, the voters identified such a leader in Jayalalithaa and gave her the mantle of MGR.
