Congress celebrates Sivaji anniversary

Critics say party short of icons to capture public imagination.

Should the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) celebrate birth anniversaries of leaders who left the party and floated new outfits?

The much-publicised celebrations of the 87th birth anniversary of actor Sivaji Ganesan by the Congress on Thursday evoked criticism from rivals, who feel the party is trying to appropriate the legacy of leaders who left it since the TNCC had no current icons to capture the imagination of the public.

The legendary actor had a long history with the Congress. While his political innings started as a sympathiser of the DMK, Sivaji moved to the Congress and remained a strong loyalist of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. After Kamaraj’s death, he grew closer to the Congress high command, led by Indira Gandhi, and eventually became a Rajya Sabha member.

When the AIADMK split following the death of M.G. Ramachandran in 1987, Sivaji wanted the Congress to support the faction led by Janaki Ramachandran. When this did not happen, he walked out of the party and formed the Tamizhaga Munnetra Munnani (TMM).

However, the TMM faced a debacle in the 1989 elections and later merged with the Janata Dal. In fact, the actor had in later days regretted the decision to float the party. But he never returned to the Congress as a full-time member.

Speaking to

The Hindu , senior Tamil Manila Congress (TMC) leader, Peter Alphonse, said Sivaji did not die as a Congressman.

“Even Rajaji left the party and was highly critical of the Congress leadership. But such leaders are being portrayed as Congress leaders now,” he said.

Mr. Alphonse said given that the TNCC lacked an icon in the present times, it was trying to appropriate the legacy of leaders like Sivaji. “They are doing what the BJP is doing nationally with great leaders like Sardar Patel,” he said.

‘Criticism unwarranted’

Calling the criticism unwarranted, TNCC spokesperson, A. Gopanna, said Thursday’s event was a celebration of Sivaji’s contribution to the growth of the party in Tamil Nadu. “No one can dispute how Sivaji helped strengthen the organisation of the Congress. He may not have died as a Congressman, but he never deviated from the ideology of the Congress,” he said.

Mr. Gopanna said if Sivaji could not be called a Congressman, the same would apply to G.K. Moopanar as well, the original founder of the TMC.

Professor of Political Science at the University of Madras, R. Manivannan, said while Sivaji did not leave behind a strong political or social legacy, his image still evoked respect as a great actor.

“The Congress may want to utilise the image. But given the lack of success that Sivaji faced in his own political career, how much it would help the Congress now is a moot question,” he said.