The Supreme Court’s verdict on Tuesday upholding the conviction of AIADMK interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala and by implication the late Jayalalithaa’s role in amassing wealth, has raised questions on the latter’s political legacy as well as the moral standing of the ruling party.
“No doubt AIADMK has lost its credibility and values in the light of the verdict. The party is no more a power player in the politics of Tamil Nadu,” opines Professor Ramu Manivannan of the Department of Politics and Public Administration in the University of Madras.
The party, according to him, is clearly heading for a split and the chances of their remaining in power or coming back after four years are highly doubtful. “MGR (the party founder) was a product of the Dravidian movement. But, Jayalalithaa only followed MGR’s legacy. She is no more and the person who followed her (Sasikala) is convicted in a case,” he points out.
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The professor says in the wake of these developments, the demand for constructing a memorial for Jayalalithaa has become a debatable topic. “She [Jayalalithaa] did carry the party on her shoulders during its many ups and downs. She did stand the test of time. But, the Supreme Court verdict and the lack of leadership have let down the party,” he adds.
According to Assistant Professor P. Ramajayam of Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in Bharathidasan University in Tiruchi, the verdict has completely dented the AIADMK’s legacy and public image. “Nonetheless, a party like AIADMK will not throw its leader away just because of the verdict. It is not even an option,” he contends.
The verdict would certainly taint the AIADMK’s demand for conferring ‘Bharat Ratna’ — the highest civilian award — on its late leader Jayalalithaa.
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“The electoral prospects of the party would be seriously affected because of the conviction, he says and charges that Sasikala was more of a caste-leader than a mass leader, which has changed AIADMK into a caste-based party. “The party can only count on the legacy of MGR,” he says.
Counting on short memory
But, Professor A.R. Venkatachalapathy of Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) in Chennai disagrees, as he argues that the verdict would soon fade from public memory.
“The people will forget the verdict in six months. Jayalalithaa is now a portrait, a doll. After few years, her portrait would be taken out during elections,” he says.
According to him, the womenfolk in AIADMK strongly felt it was Sasikala who pulled Jayalalithaa down the drain and the Supreme Court’s verdict had only reinforced that narrative.
“The future of AIADMK depends on how they are able to regroup,” he contends. But will the absence of a strong leadership result in the disintegration of the party? “No, there are other factors which bind them together — strong anti-DMK sentiment being the primary factor. They have regrouped earlier in 1989 too with these factors,” he points out.
The challenge before O. Panneerselvam who is heading the rebel group is the retention of MLAs supporting him. “In my opinion, in their self-interest, the MLAs could support OPS. But, an immediate election would not help Sasikala’s relatives,” he adds.